MUDDY SLIDE — Fairmont runner Allison Janssen (left) makes a muddy slide into third base ahead of a throw to Martin County West infielder Paige Anderson following a wild pitch during non-league softball action Tuesday night at Fox Lake Sports Complex in Welcome. (Photo by Greg Abel)

WELCOME — Martin County West capitalized on seven Fairmont errors, 15 wild pitches and seven issued walks to earn an early exit from the Fox Lake Sports Complex on Tuesday night.

Emily Anderson smacked a two-run single and scored two runs, Thea Anderson drilled an RBI double and right-hander Kelley Bettin tossed a four-hit complete game to steer the hometown Mavericks to a 13-2, five-inning non-league softball triumph over the Cardinals in Welcome.

“The last two games, we’ve played really solid defense and that’s made a big difference,” said MCW mentor Darrell Ziegler, whose lineup did not commit an error against its cross-county rival. “(Shortstop) Taylor (Elliott) set the defensive tone by making a nice backhand stop on a hard-hit ball in the top of the first.

“(Third baseman) Paige (Anderson) then kept the trend going by fielding a number of shots at her during the next four innings. She just manages to keep everything in front of her.”

Elliott gloved three hard-hit grounders off the bats of Allison Janssen, Anna Ehlert and Chantel Moeller to prevent Cassidy Schultz’s two-out single from causing any damage on the scoreboard.

Paige Anderson then halted a two-out, two Cardinal runners on base via walks rally in the second by pocketing Kaitlyn Scott’s two-hop liner.

That, however, was not the case during the opposite halves of the innings.

“They (the Mavericks) made the plays on defense and we didn’t — it’s as simple as that,” said Fairmont head coach Cory Hainy. “We just didn’t come ready to play, and that’s on me.”

After Ivy Kokoruda and Paige Anderson lined back-to-back one-out singles and Hailee Schuett walked in the bottom of the first, Fairmont committed an error that allowed two runs to score. Two more MCW runs crossed on the heels of five wild pitches for a 4-0 differential.

Fairmont committed four errors, Emily Anderson connected for a two-run single, Thea Anderson drilled an RBI double and Lauren Borchardt lined a run-scoring single to highlight MCW’s nine-run second at-bat.

The Cardinals produced their two runs in the top of the third. Janssen walked, Ehlert singled and Schultz walked with no outs. Moeller reached on a 5-2 fielder’s choice before Nevaeh Rahm drew an RBI walk and Ava Gillmore drove in another with a groundout.

Janssen added a fourth-inning double and Rahm smacked a fifth-frame single for the Cardinals, while Lina Arnold walked twice and scored two runs for the Mavericks.

Kelley Bettin allowed two runs on four hits, walked five and did not record a strikeout in five innings pitched to earn the complete-game win.

Rahm allowed six runs — all unearned — on just two hits, struck out three and walked three in 1-plus innings pitched to absorb the loss.

Fairmont (5-11) plays host to Marshall on Friday in a 4:30 p.m. Big South Conference doubleheader at Cardinal Park in Fairmont.

Martin County West (8-6) travels to St. Clair on Monday for a rescheduled 4:30 p.m. Valley Conference game against St. Clair/ Mankato Loyola.

FHS 002 00 — 2 4 7

MCW 490 0x — 13 5 0

Nevaeh Rahm (LP), Allison Janssen (2), Anna Ehlert (4) and Chantel Moeller. Kelley Bettin (WP) and Ivy Kokoruda.

LOB–Fairmont 7, Martin Co. West 3. 2B–Allison Janssen (FHS), Thea Anderson (MCW).

Gabby Leiding hurled four stellar innings and smacked two hits on offense to help power Fairmont to a 15-4, five-inning triumph over MCW during junior varsity action Tuesday in Welcome.

Leiding struck out five batters to earn the win, while Brylee Miller fanned two in one inning of relief.

Miller singled and doubles for the Cardinals, while teammates Ashley Muller and Jayda Healey contributed one hit apiece.