HOOK SLIDE — Fairmont Martins runner Eli Anderson (far right) hook slides around Hadley Buttermakers catcher Trent Carlson, who awaits a throw from the outfield, during second-inning amateur baseball action in the two teams’ best-of-3 Region 13C championship series’ opener Wednesday night at Herb Wolf Field in Fairmont. Martins runner Adam Schmidt (second from left), Fairmont on-deck batter Levi Becker (17) and home plate umpire Tom Bromeland watch the play. (Photo by Charlie Sorrells)

FAIRMONT — Derek Shoen drilled a rising rocket off the top of Herb Wolf Field’s scoreboard in left-center before fireworks literally left a vapor trail beyond the outfield fence during Wednesday night’s Region 13C amateur baseball championship series opener.

Shoen went 3-for-4, highlighted by his line-drive two-run home run in Fairmont’s four-run fifth frame, while ace right-hander Josh Smith scattered four hits in six shutout innings to engineer the Martins’ 12-0, seven-inning rout of the Hadley Buttermakers in Fairmont.

Fairmont (21-2) travels to Hadley (12-7) for Game 2 of the two teams’ best-of-3 series on Saturday. If the hometown Buttermakers even the seeding series at 1-all, Game 3 would return to Herb Wolf Field in Fairmont at 2 p.m. Sunday.

Both Fairmont and Hadley already have qualified for the Minnesota Class ‘C’ state tournament later this month.

“Actually, he (Hadley reliever Avery Weber) threw the first pitch inside to me, and I was looking for him to throw it again to that location,” said Shoen. “I was ready for it (fastball) and hit it out of the park.

“That’s my first home run ever here (Wolf Field).”

Shoen’s skyrocketing blast extended the Martins’ lead to 12-0 — enough for the home team to exit the diamond early via the run rule in the seventh.

Tyler Tennyson, who lofted a sacrifice fly to stake Fairmont to a 10-0 margin in the last of the fifth, then sealed the defending regional champion’s double-digit victory by striking out the Buttermakers in order during the top of the seventh inning.

“He (Tennyson) had every pitch working (in relief) tonight,” said Martins catcher Blake Crawmer.

Tennyson stepped to the mound on the heels of Smith’s solid six-inning pitching stint. Smith struck out eight, issued a rare five walks and allowed four hits to notch the playoff victory.

“For whatever reason, I just didn’t have my best stuff tonight, but we came away with the win,” Smith said with a smile.

With Smith keeping the Buttermakers off the scoreboard, his battery mate — Crawmer — supplied the initial key offensive blow. Crawmer hammered a one-out offering from Hadley starting pitcher Jacob Van Dam down the left-field line to plate Adam Schmidt and Eli Anderson for a 2-0 lead in the second inning. Schmidt singled and Anderson drew a walk to reach base.

Shoen then triggered a six-run outburst during the last of the third by collecting the first of five Fairmont hits during the pivotal and productive at-bat. Shoen singled before Jon Traetow and Schmidt drew back-to-back walks.

Anderson, who went 2-for-3, blooped home an RBI single before Ethan Hurn smacked a run-scoring single with one out for a 4-0 margin.

Levi Becker then unloaded the bases by cranking a towering three-run double to deep center field. Becker later scored on Tennyson’s RBI single for an 8-0 lead.

Anderson and Hurn each produced two hits for Fairmont. Becker, Shoen, Schmidt, Anderson and Hurn each crossed the plate twice on the postseason clash.

Van Dam and Kellan Johnson each generated doubles for Hadley, while Joe Larson and Max Zwart contributed singles.

Van Dam allowed eight runs on eight hits, recorded one strikeout and issued three walks in 2 2/3 innings of work to receive the loss.

Weber gave up four runs on just two hits, walked one, hit one batter and struck out one in 2 1/3 innings of relief.

HAD 000 000 0 — 0 4 1

FMT 026 040 x — 12 11 1

Jacob Van Dam (LP), Avery Weber (3), Ben Rogers (6) and Trent Carlson. Josh Smith (WP), Tyler Tennyson (7) and Blake Crawmer.

LOB–Hadley 9, Fairmont 6. 2B–Levi Becker (FMT), Jacob Van Dam (HAD), Kellan Johnson (HAD). HR–Derek Shoen (FMT). SF–Tyler Tennyson (FMT).