PIPESTONE — The Fairmont Cardinals baseball team opened the Section 3AA playoffs with a 10-run rule victory Saturday before falling in a one-run clash in Round 2.

Lance Becker just missed the cycle by singling, doubling and tripling with three RBIs to help engineer No. 3-seeded Fairmont’s 13-3, six-inning triumph over No. 6-seeded Tracy-Milroy-Balaton in first-round playoff action.

The No. 2-seeded Pipestone Area Arrows then converted four walks in the bottom of the sixth inning into the tying and eventual game-winning runs to edge Fairmont, 2-1.

Fairmont (11-9) faces No. 4-seeded Windom (8-8) in a 7 p.m. elimination game Tuesday night in Windom. Windom downed No. 5-seeded Jackson County Central in first-round action, 9-2, before losing to No. 1-seeded Luverne by a 1-0 decision.

Pipestone Area opened the sectional tournament by defeating No. 7-seeded Martin County West, 7-4.

Brady Allen, Zac Ringnell and Nate Kallenbach each produced two hits and two RBIs to pack offensive punch to Becker’s three-hit performance in the Cardinals’ rout of TMB. Allen delivered a triple, while Ringnell contributed a double.

Collin Steuber added an RBI double to Fairmont’s winning ways.

Starting pitcher Sam Schwieger allowed three earned runs on three hits, struck out four and did not issue a walk in four innings pitched to earn the win for the Cardinals.

Jack Hested struck out one and walked two in two scoreless and hitless innings of relief for Fairmont.

Kallenbach scored the Cardinals’ lone run in the top of the fifth inning to back starting pitcher Brady Allen’s shutout performance.

Allen allowed only two hits in five scoreless frames on the mound, striking out three and issuing one walk.

Kallenbach gave up two earned runs on four walks in one inning of relief to absorb the loss. He struck out one.

Becker, Ringnell, Steuber and Jordan Wolter each contributed one hit to the Cardinals’ effort in Game 2.