STRIKE THREE! — Fairmont catcher Chantel Moeller (right) squeezes the softball delivery for strike three on Waseca batter Jadyn Olsem to end the fourth inning of Tuesday’s Big South Conference game at Cardinal Park in Fairmont. (Photo by Charlie Sorrells)

FAIRMONT — Cassidy Schultz pounded out three hits, including a pair of doubles, and generated a game-best four RBIs to trigger the Fairmont softball batting order’s landslide of runs against Waseca during Tuesday’s game at Cardinal Park.

Ironically, Cardinal starting pitcher Nevaeh Rahm and closer Allison Janssen combining for a five-inning no-hitter almost got forgotten in the process.

The Rahm-Janssen no-hitter and Schultz’s hitting prowess propelled Fairmont to a 15-1, five-inning rout over the visiting Bluejays during a Big South Conference matchup in Fairmont.

“Nevaeh was in total command of her pitches today,” Fairmont head coach Cory Hainy said in reference to Rahm, who recorded a game-best seven strikeouts. “She dominated the three innings she threw.”

The hard-throwing sophomore right-hander worked three shutout innings, including striking out the Waseca side in order during the second and the third innings to earn the pitching victory.

Janssen then allowed one unearned run on no hits, struck out two and walked one in two innings of relief to close out the run-rule early exit for the Cardinals.

“We definitely had better quality at-bats today and were patient at the plate,” said Hainy, whose lineup drew 11 walks to go with Janssen being plunked twice. “Cass and Chantel (Moeller) hit the ball with authority.”

Moeller also displayed her defensive skills by erasing the only walk issued by Rahm to open the conference clash in Fairmont. Haylee Sommers received a leadoff base-on-balls before Moeller threw her out trying to steal second.

After Emma Gudahl and Anna Ehlert received back-to-back walks from Bluejay starting pitcher Hannah Thursdale in the bottom of the first, Schultz singled home Gudahl for a quick 1-0 lead.

Rahm walked, Moeller netted an RBI walk, Janssen collected an RBI by getting hit by a pitch before Brylee Miller’s hard-hit grounder skidded under the shortstop’s glove to allow two more Cardinals to cross the plate.

Schultz capped off what she started during Fairmont’s seven-run second at-bat. The Cardinals’ No. 3 batter drilled a towering leadoff double before eventually scoring on the heels of another walk to Rahm and a double-error on Jaya Johnson’s sacrifice bunt.

Janssen was hit again by a Thursdale delivery, Abby Sunken singled and Miller drew a bases-loaded walk. Ehlert later netted an RBI via a base-on-balls before Schultz unleashed a three-run double to extend Fairmont’s lead to 13-0.

Moeller singled before courtesy runner Kynlie Anderson scored on Paige Linse’s RBI groundout in the third, while Ehlert singled, advanced on a Rahm single and crossed the plate on Moeller’s RBI fielder’s choice in the fourth.

Sommers walked and scored on Jordan Hofmeister’s RBI groundout during the top of the fourth.

Thursdale allowed 15 runs on seven hits, walked 11, struck out two and hit two batters in four innings of work to receive the loss for the Bluejays.

Fairmont (5-12) plays host to St. James at 4:30 p.m. Friday in another conference contest at Cardinal Park. Waseca plays host to Marshall in a 4 p.m. league doubleheader on Thursday.

Waseca 000 10 — 1 0 4

Fairmont 671 1X — 15 7 1

Hannah Truesdale (LP) and Haylee Sommers. Nevaeh Rahm (WP), Allison Janssen (4) and Chantel Moeller.

LOB–Fairmont 7, Waseca 1. 2B–Cassidy Schultz (FMT) 2. SAC–Jaya Johnson (FMT).

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Fairmont flattened Waseca, 23-3, during junior varsity action Tuesday at Cardinal Park.

Ilana Moeller, Ashley Muller and Mariah Moeller each produced two hits to pace the Cardinals’ winning ways.

Gabby Leiding, Abi Sundeen, Johanna Petschke, Haleigh Grotzinger, Lacie Fetter, Annabelle Oskerson, Chloe Miller and Tiffany Lowry each supplied one hit for Fairmont.

Gabby Leiding struck out seven, walked one and gave up one hit in three innings pitched to earn the win.

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Martin County West 22, Heron Lake-Okabena/Fulda 1 (4 innings) — The Mavericks erupted for 21 hits, while three pitchers combined for a one-hitter to rout the Coyotes in a non-league game Tuesday in Welcome.

Emily Anderson and Thea Anderson each produced three hits and three RBIs to pace MCW’s high-octane offensive effort, while Taylor Elliott doubled, singled and drove in three runs at Fox Lake Sports Complex.

Paige Anderson smacked three hits and collected one RBI for the Mavericks, Lina Arnold generated three hits, Ivy Kokoruda tripled and singled to collect two RBIs, while Maddie Carlson tallied two hits and two RBIs.

The Mavericks plated five runs in the bottom of the first inning, doubled that run production by scoring 10 more in the second before pushing seven runs across the plate in the third.

Carlson struck out three and allowed one run on one hit in two innings pitched to net the win for MCW. Arnold struck out two in one scoreless and hitless inning of relief, while Emily Anderson fanned two and hit one batter in closing out the top of the fourth inning.

Martin County West (10-6) travels to Sleepy Eye Public for a 5 p.m. nonconference game on Thursday.

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Prep Baseball

Fairmont 9, Belle Plaine 1 — Eli Anderson hurled a three-hitter for 6 2/3 innings and produced two hits and two runs scored from the batter’s box to power the Class AA No. 2-ranked Cardinals to an eight-run triumph over the Tigers during Tuesday’s baseball game at ISG Field — formerly Franklin Rogers Park — in Mankato.

Anderson recorded five strikeouts, issued two walks and allowed one earned run to earn the win. Nate Soelter struck out the only Belle Plaine batter he faced in relief in the top of the seventh inning.

Landen Meyerdirk produced both of his hits during the bottom of the third to trigger the Cardinals’ seven-run explosion to break the scoreless deadlock.

Meyerdirk legged out an infield hit, moved to second on Anderson’s single and wheeled to third on Lincoln Becker’s bunt hit. Meyerdirk and Anderson circled the bases on Zach Jorgensen’s two-run single for a quick 2-0 lead.

Becker later scored on the back end of a double steal, with Jorgensen taking second base. Soelter kept the inning going by delivering an RBI fielder’s choice before Gavin Rodning legged out an infield hit.

Levi Pooley walked to load the bases before Meyerdirk unloaded them with a three-run double to widen Fairmont’s margin to 7-0 through three completed innings.

Anderson singled and stole second base to set the offensive tone for the Cardinals during the bottom of the sixth. Anderson crossed the plate on Jorgensen’s RBI double, Cooper Steuber reached on an error and Joseph Hackett — courtesy running for Jorgensen — later stepped on home via a wild pitch.

Jorgensen finished 2-for-4 with a co-game-best three RBIs for Fairmont, while Meyerdirk went 2-for-3 with three RBIs and one run scored.

Fairmont (18-1) plays for the overall Big South Conference championship at noon Saturday against either Windom Area or Redwood Valley at a site to be determined.