AWAITING THE CALL — Fairmont catcher Chantel Moeller (right) and Worthington runner Haley Grimmius wait for the umpire’s call during Big South softball action Thursday at Cardinal Park in Fairmont. Moeller made a diving tag to record the out on Grimmius trying to score on a wild pitch. (Photo by Greg Abel)

FAIRMONT — Worthington ace right-hander Haley Grimmius proved why she’s an Augustana University softball commit during Thursday’s Big South diamond clash with Fairmont at Cardinal Park.

Grimmius notched 17 strikeouts to back firing a no-hitter to pace the Trojans’ 6-1 triumph over the youthful Cardinals in Fairmont.

After issuing a leadoff walk to Kaitlyn Scott and plunking Allison Janssen with a delivery in the bottom of the first inning, Grimmius found her pitching rhythm. The Trojans’ senior stalwart proceeded to record eight straight strikeouts before Janssen ended the streak with a groundout.

Ironically, Grimmius’ only hiccup of the contest occurred in the fifth. Emily Muller was hit by a pitch, took second base on a wild pitch, moved to third on a dropped third strike and crossed the plate on another wild pitch to spoil the Trojan right-hander’s shutout bid.

After center fielder Pressley Sieve made a leaping overhead catch on the run to rob the Cardinals’ Cassidy Schultz of extra bases to end the fifth, Grimmius iced her complete-game victory by notching six consecutive strikeouts.

Maddie Peterson went 2-for-3 with a two-run triple to highlight the Trojans’ two-run fifth at-bat, while Lauren Nelson doubled and later scored on Hannah McNab’s blooped two-run single just inside the right-field line during a three-run fourth.

Both third baseman Anna Ehlert and catcher Chantel Moeller delivered defensive gems for Fairmont during the top of the sixth.

McNab reached on a two-base error to lead off for Worthington before Grimmius walked on a low delivery. McNab gained third on the play, but lost her balance just for a split second, came off the bag and an alert Ehlert tagged her out.

Grimmius, who alertly reach third on the play after the Cardinals exited the base, later tried to score on a wild pitch. Moeller alertly grabbed the carom and made a stretched-out diving tag to record the out at the plate.

Cardinal starting pitcher Nevaeh Rahm allowed five runs on four hits, struck out six and walked five in 4-plus innings. Janssen gave up one unearned run on two hits, fanned three and walked four in three relief frames.

Fairmont (0-3) plays host to Luverne at 5:30 p.m. Monday, while Worthington (1-2) travels to Hutchinson on Saturday to face Waconia and the host Tigers starting at 11 a.m.

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Haley Grimmius (WP) and Maddie Peterson. Nevaeh Rahm (LP), Allison Janssen (5) and Chantel Moeller.

LOB–Worthington 7; Fairmont 2. 2B–Lauren Nelson (WOR). 3B–Maddie Peterson (WOR).

Paige Linse and Breanna Groskreutz each produced three hits to help power Fairmont to an 18-0, five-inning rout over Worthington during junior varsity action Thursday.

Brylee Miller and Kynlie Anderson each pounded out two hits, including a triple, for the Cardinals (2-1), while Ella Klunder and Gabby Leiding each drilled two hits. Klunder and Chloe Miller each doubled.

Miller struck out eight in three innings pitched for Fairmont, while Leiding notched six strikeouts in two innings of relief.

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Prep Baseball

Fairmont 11, Worthington 4 — Landen Meyerdirk went 2-for-3, including a three-run inside-the-park home run, and collected a game-best four RBIs to help propel the Cardinals to a seven-run Big South triumph over the Trojans on Thursday in Worthington.

Jackson Utermarck and Eli Anderson each contributed RBI doubles, while Lincoln Becker, Levi Pooley and Brendan Schmidtke each supplied run-scoring singles for Fairmont.

Jacob Crissinger started on the mound for the Cardinals, striking out five and issuing three walks in 6 1/3 innings of work. Crissinger gave up three runs on three hits en route to earning the win.

Eli Anderson closed out the final 2/3s of an inning, allowing one unearned run on one hit. Anderson did not record a strikeout or walk.

Fairmont (1-1) hits the road to Waseca next Thursday.

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Worthington plated a solo run in the bottom of the sixth inning to edge Fairmont, 8-7, during junior varsity action Thursday in Worthington.

Skylar Aukes went 3-for-4 to top the Cardinals’ offense, while Trevor Maakestad connected for a two-run single.

Preston Vaughn produced an RBI single, Cooper Steuber singled and scored two runs, Hayden Clabaugh and Cole Wiemers each chipped in a hit, while Aden Welcome drove in a run for Fairmont.

Vaughn allowed seven runs — four earned — on eight hits, struck out six and walked two in five innings of work. Maakestad took the loss by giving up one run on one hit in one inning of relief. He fanned one and walked one.

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Blue Earth Area 26, Lake Crystal-Wellcome Memorial 6 — The Bucs remained perfect on the season by erupting for an incredible 21 hits to flatten the Knights by 20 runs during non-league action Thursday in Lake Crystal.

Keegan O’Brien and Adam Schavey each went 4-for-4 to set the table for BEA.

O’Brien hammered a HR and two doubles to generate a game-best four RBIs and crossed the plate four times. Schavey also scored four runs and collected three RBIs.

Luke Mertens went 3-for-4 with a three-run HR and scored four runs for the Bucs, while Logan O’Hara went 2-for-5 with three RBIs.

Ryan Madetzke was 2-for-2 with three RBIs and four runs scored, Parker Meyers collected two singles, crossed the plate three times and netted two RBIs, while Kean Hicks went 2-for-2 with two RBIs for BEA.

Anthony Carr gave up three runs — only one earned — on four hits and struck out one in three innings of relief for the Bucs. Madetzke struck out one in one hitless and scoreless inning of relief.

Meyers started on the mound, allowing three earned runs in 1-plus hitless inning, while walking four for the Bucs.

Blue Earth Area (3-0) travels to Jackson County Central on Monday.