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Fairmont stays alive in 2AA softball playoffs

MANKATO — Fairmont’s shortest hit of its two-game Section 2AA softball stint on Saturday lit the fuse for late offensive fireworks at Caswell Park.

Courtney Williams belted a two-run home run in the bottom of the fifth inning before Jordan Ehlert delivered what proved the game-winning extra-base hit to cap the Cardinals’ triple-double sixth to squeeze by the Tri-City United Titans, 4-3, during an elimination game in Mankato.

Fairmont (12-10) plays Le Sueur-Henderson (13-10) in a 5 p.m. elimination game on Tuesday on Field 2 at Caswell Park. LSH edged New Richland-Hartland-Ellendale-Geneva, 1-0, to stay alive in the double-elimination tournament.

The Cardinals’ chances to advance in sectional action appeared bleak as TCU junior right-hander Elly Novak maintained a rare perfect-game bid at Fairmont’s expense through four completed frames.

“She hadn’t allowed us to even reach base through four (innings), and we were down 3-0,” said Fairmont head coach Haley Loerts. “I told the girls before we hit during the (bottom of the) fifth that all we needed was one little thing to go our way and get us going.”

Mariah Gochanour’s one-out bunt hit fit Loerts’ definition of the ‘little thing’ that triggered a big thing — Williams’ ensuing two-run HR that inched the Cardinals within one run.

“After Courtney’s home run, we regained confidence in our hitting and put together three consecutive extra-base hits (in the sixth) to take the lead,” said Loerts.

Ericka Kim lined a one-out double just inside the left-field line to set the table for Fairmont’s sixth-inning surge. Kim then crossed the plate with the tying run on Taylor Crissinger’s RBI double to right before Ehlert hammered the go-ahead RBI double to plate Crissinger.

Ehlert, who fired a seven-hit complete game, retired the Titans in order during the top of the seventh inning to seal the Cardinals’ comeback win. Fairmont’s ace junior right-hander recorded seven strikeouts without issuing a walk in seven innings of work to earn the victory.

Elly Novak gave up four runs on six hits, struck out a game-high 12 and issued just one walk in six innings to absorb the loss for TCU.

The Titans grabbed a 2-0 lead in the first when Cami Vargo lashed a two-out double and scored on Ellaina Novak’s RBI single. Novak later scored on Emily Krautkremer’s RBI hit.

Sydney Sartori singled with one out and later circled the bases on Elly Novak’s RBI double to account for TCU’s solo run in the fifth.

In Fairmont’s opening sectional game on Saturday, St. Peter ace right-hander Mackenzie Brey fired a four-hit shutout and Kayla Oeltjenbruns collected the game-clinching RBI single with two outs in the last of the fifth inning to pace the Saints’ 10-0 triumph.

Brey recorded three strikeouts and issued one walk in five innings of work to earn the complete-game win.

Oeltjenbruns went 2-for-4 with a game-best three RBIs, Ellie Johnson doubled in a pair of runs, McKenna Reese singled in two runs and Shelby Paul went 2-for-3 with one RBI to pace St. Peter’s 11-hit effort.

The Saints plated three runs in the second, erupted for six more in the fourth and added a solo tally in the fifth.

Mallory Gochanour, Ericka Kim, Taylor Crissinger and Jordan Ehlert each produced singles for the Cardinals against the Saints.

Ehlert allowed 10 runs — only four earned — on 11 hits, struck out five and walked two in 4 2/3 innings to take the loss.

St. Peter (18-5) edged Jordan (19-5), 5-3, during Saturday’s final winners-bracket game and awaits the survivor of the double-elimination playback bracket in Thursday’s 5 p.m. Section 2 championship game at Caswell Park in Mankato.

The winner between Fairmont and LSH plays Jordan at 7 p.m. Tuesday in an elimination game in Mankato.

TCU 200 010 0 — 3 7 0

FHS 000 022 x — 4 6 0

Elly Novak (LP) and Cami Vargo. Jordan Ehlert (WP) and Mariah Gochanour.

LOB–Fairmont 3, Tri-City United 4. 2B–Ericka Kim (F), Taylor Crissinger (F), Ehlert (F), Elly Novak (TCU), Vargo (TCU). HR–Courtney Williams (F). SAC–Mariah Gochanour (F).

FHS 000 00 — 0 4 2

STP 030 61 — 10 11 0

Winning run scored with two out in the bottom of the fifth inning.

Jordan Ehlert (LP) and Mariah Gochanour. Mackenzie Brey (WP) and Allie McCabe.

LOB–Fairmont 5, St. Peter 5. 2B–Ellie Johnson (SP). SAC–Allie McCabe (SP) 2, Olivia McCabe (SP).

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