INSTANT OFFENSE — Fairmont hitter Nevaeh Rahm (left) and Cardinal head softball coach Cory Hainy celebrate Rahm’s three-run home run against New Ulm during the bottom of the first inning of a Big South Conference game Tuesday night at Cardinal Park in Fairmont. Rahm’s three-run HR, combined with Tegan Livesay’s one-hit shutout, topped Fairmont’s 3-0 win. (Photo by Charlie Sorrells)

FAIRMONT — Tegan Livesay’s awaited softball pitching debut for Fairmont proved record-setting during Tuesday’s season-opener against perennial Class AA powerhouse New Ulm.

Livesay, a Division I Southeast Missouri State University commit, piled up her new athletic program’s single-game mark of 18 strikeouts en route to hurling a one-hit complete-game shutout against the hard-hitting Eagles in Fairmont.

Junior cleanup hitter Nevaeh Rahm supplied all the offense that Fairmont needed — a three-run home run during the bottom of the first inning — to trigger a rare 3-0 Big South Conference triumph over New Ulm at Cardinal Park.

“Tegan worked around a leadoff walk, eventually stranding the New Ulm runner (Kenzie Enter) at third base during the top of the first,” said Fairmont head coach Cory Hainy. “She settled into a groove after that and only allowed two more baserunners for the rest of the game.

“In the home half of the first, it just took a pair of walks and one big swing to put us in the driver’s seat. It was only the first inning, but sometimes that’s the entire game in this sport and it held true tonight.”

Livesay, whose family moved from Newton, Kansas, to Fairmont in December, amassed her prior high school’s single-season record of 266 strikeouts as a junior in 2022.

“With it being the first game of me calling pitches for Tegan, I might have been more nervous than she was tonight,” Hainy said jokingly.

After striking out the side on the heels of walking Enter to lead off the game, New Ulm sophomore right-hander Ramsey Hopp issued back-to-back walks to the Cardinals’ Brylee Miller and Anna Ehlert to open the home half of the first.

“We didn’t have any success hitting against Ramsey in the three games we lost to New Ulm last season, so that was rare for her to walk a couple of batters,” Hainy said in reference to Hopp, who fired a shutout in an 8-0 fourth-round Section 2AA playoff victory over Fairmont last season.

With one out, Rahm utilized a smooth solid swing and Hopp’s velocity to send the delivery sailing over the left-field fence for a three-run clout and 3-0 lead.

Chantel Moeller then collected the first of her game-best two hits and Emily Muller followed suit before Hopp notched two of her 10 strikeouts on the game to escape further damage.

Hopp gave up a fifth-inning single to Miller, walked Livesay in the same frame and allowed another hit to Chantel Moeller. New Ulm right fielder Amber Lee kept Fairmont off the scoreboard in the fifth by throwing a runner out at the plate.

Hopp then spoiled Livesay’s no-hit pitching performance by lining a leadoff double to straight-away center field in the top of the seventh. Livesay struck out the side to seal her one-hit gem.

The Cardinals ended a 12-game losing streak to the Eagles with the three-run decision. Fairmont last defeated New Ulm 3-2 in Game 1 of a regular-season doubleheader on May 17, 2016.

Fairmont (1-0) plays host to Blue Earth Area on Thursday, while New Ulm (0-1) plays host to Waseca next Tuesday.

NU 000 000 0 — 0 1 1

FA 300 000 x — 3 5 0

Ramsey Hopp (LP) and Natalie Bianchi. Tegan Livesay (WP) and Chantel Moeller.

LOB–Fairmont 5; New Ulm 3. 2B–Ramsey Hopp (NU). HR–Nevaeh Rahm (FA).

Gabby Leiding pitched a four-hit shutout to power Fairmont to an 11-0, six-inning victory over New Ulm during junior varsity action Tuesday in Fairmont.

Leiding displayed stellar command of her pitches by recording 12 strikeouts without issuing a walk in going the distance to earn the complete-game win.

Abi Sundeen went 4-for-4 with a two-run HR and a triple to pace the Cardinals’ offense, while Makayla Lowry tripled and singled.

Tiffany Lowry contributed two hits to Fairmont’s winning ways, while Makenzie Lowry and Haleigh Grotzinger supplied one hit apiece.

Fairmont (1-0) plays host to Blue Earth Area on Thursday.

Martin County West 14, St. Clair/Loyola 2 (5 innings) — Maddie Carlson hurled a four-hit complete game, while Emily Anderson drove in a game-best three runs with a pair of hits to stampede the Mavericks to a 12-run margin of victory in 5 innings during Valley Conference action Tuesday night in St. Clair.

Maddie Carlson allowed two runs on four hits, struck out three and walked three in five innings pitched to earn the win.

Brianna Morrow collected two hits and two RBIs for the Mavericks, while Ella Carlson produced two hits — including a double — to generate two RBIs.

Lina Arnold and Maddie Carlson each tallied two hits, with Carlson driving in two runs and Arnold collecting one RBI. Thea Anderson contributed a two-run double to MCW’s 11-hit effort.

Sidney Heinbaugh delivered an RBI triple to top St. Clair/Loyola.

Martin County West (1-0) travels to Madelia on Friday for another Valley game.