PERFECTION — Fairmont ace Tegan Livesay winds up and fires a delivery against Luverne during Big South Conference softball action Monday night at Cardinal Park in Fairmont. Livesay went on to pitch the first-ever perfect game in the history of the Fairmont softball program. The senior right-hander struck out 15 batters in a 10-0, six-inning victory. (Photo by Greg Abel)

FAIRMONT — Pitch perfect.

Senior ace right-hander Tegan Livesay etched her name into the Fairmont Cardinal softball record books again by hurling the program’s first-ever perfect game Monday night at Cardinal Park.

Livesay generated a game-best 15 strikeouts without allowing a run, a hit or a Luverne runner to reach base via a walk, hit-by-pitch or an error during Fairmont’s 10-0, six-inning Big South Conference triumph in Fairmont.

The Southeast Missouri State University softball commit recorded nine consecutive strikeouts to open the game before Luverne tried to foil Livesay’s pitching masterpiece by bunting in the top of the fourth inning.

Fairmont catcher Chantel Moeller threw out Payton Behr’s on a deadened bunt in front of the plate before Moeller gloved Elizabeth Smidt’s popped-up bunt for the second out. Fairmont centerfielder Ava Gillmore then caught Carly Olson’s fly ball to close out the at-bat. Livesay then finished the game with six consecutive strikeouts.

“Rule No. 1 about pitching a perfect game: Don’t think about pitching a perfect game,” a smiling Livesay said in reference to her first career perfect game. “I came close to one in last year’s state championship game (in Kansas), but we committed an error to prevent it.”

“Honestly, I think Luverne is one of the better hitting teams we’ve faced. They’ve scored a lot of runs in their first three games,” said Fairmont head coach Cory Hainy. “Tegan, however, was ON today.

“I was a little worried on how we’d hit today since it’s been a week since we played last, but our girls barreled up a number of pitches today en route to a dozen hits.”

Brylee Miller, who went 2-for-4 with three runs scored, and Livesay accounted for Fairmont’s solo run in the bottom of the first. Miller singled up the middle, gained second on Anna Ehlert’s sacrifice bunt and wheeled home on Livesay’s RBI double to the left-center gap. Livesay went 3-for-3 with a pair of doubles, one triple, an intentional walk and three RBIs on the night.

Miller served as Fairmont’s offensive catalyst again in the third by drilling a one-out double inside the right-field line before staying put on Luverne hurler Gracie Nath’s intentional walk to Livesay.

Nevaeh Rahm, who went 2-for-3 with three RBIs, hammered a single to plate Miller before Chantel Moeller followed with an RBI line-drive single to left to score courtesy runner Ashley Muller for a 3-0 lead.

Fairmont then doubled its lead with three runs in the bottom of the fifth. Ehlert was plunked, Livesay doubled and Ehlert scored on Rahm’s sacrifice fly. Emily Muller reached on an error, Abi Sundeen was hit by a pitch and Ava Terfehr deposited a two-run single down the right-field line to widen the gap to 6-0.

Once again, Miller set the table for Fairmont’s early exit via the run-rule by reaching second base when her fly ball was dropped. Ehlert walked and Livesay crushed a two-run triple into the left-field corner.

Courtesy runner Ashley Muller then trotted home on Rahm’s RBI single to center before Moeller reached on a fielder’s choice.

Ella Klunder, Moeller’s courtesy runner, gained second base while Emily Muller’s grounder was misplayed. Klunder then circled the bases with the game-ending run on Sundeen’s RBI single to left.

Livesay’s three extra-base hits topped Fairmont’s 12-hit performance, while Miller, Rahm and Sundeen each contributed two hits.

Fairmont (5-0) travels to New Ulm today for a pivotal conference and sectional game. Luverne (3-1) plays host to St. James Area in a doubleheader on Thursday.

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Winning run scored with one out in the bottom of the sixth inning.

Gracie Nath (LP), Amira Cowell (5) and Elizabeth Smidt. Tegan Livesay (WP) and Chantel Moeller.

LOB–Fairmont 9, Luverne 0. 2B–Tegan Livesay (FMT) 2, Brylee Miller (FMT). 3B–Tegan Livesay (FMT). SF–Nevaeh Rahm (FMT). SAC–Anna Ehlert (FMT).

Makenzie Lowry collected two hits while Makayla Lowry and Ilana Moeller each belted doubles to engineer Fairmont’s 8-4 win over Luverne during junior varsity action Monday night in Fairmont.

Maddy Landin and Saige Leiding each contributed a hit to Fairmont’s winning ways.

Gabby Leiding allowed four runs — only one earned — on five hits, and struck out six in seven innings of work to earn the complete-game victory for Fairmont.

Martin County West 18, Heron Lake-Okabena/Fulda 4 (5 innings) — Thea Anderson produced a game-best four RBIs on the strength of two hits, including a double, to stampede the Mavericks to a run-rule victory over the Coyotes on Monday night in Okabena.

Holding a 6-4 lead, the Mavericks erupted for a dozen runs to exit the ballpark early during the non-league contest.

Lina Arnold produced three hits and two RBIs for MCW, while teammate Emily Anderson collected two hits, including a double, en route to two RBIs.

Hannah Rosenberg singled, doubled and collected one RBI for the Mavericks, while Courtney Anderson contributed two hits and two RBIs.

Maddie Carlson allowed four runs on two hits, struck out three and walked one in four innings pitched to earn the win for MCW. Arnold struck out one and walked two in one hitless and scoreless inning of relief.

Ashley Fisher singled and drove in a run to top the Coyotes’ two-hit effort.

Martin County West (3-1) plays host to Cleveland on Thursday at Fox Lake Sports Complex in Welcome.

Truman/Granada-Huntley-East Chain/Martin Luther 11, Alden-Conger/Glenville-Emmons 1 (5 innings) — Mandy Pytleski pitched four innings of no-hit softball while generating two hits and two runs scored offensively to help pace the Jaguars’ run-rule triumph over the Knights during Valley Conference action Monday in Alden.

Pytleski recorded a game-best seven strikeouts, walked one and did not allow a hit in four shutout innings pitched to earn the win. Addison Smith gave up one unearned run on one hit in one inning of relief for the Jaguars.

Pytleski went 2-for-4, including a triple, and scored twice for the Jaguars’ 10-hit performance.

Londyn Bowers went 2-for-3 with a game-best three RBIs to complement scoring twice for the Jaguars, while Ashlyn Cook went 2-for-3 with a double and two RBIs.

Keira Benck went 1-for-2 with two RBIs for the Jaguars, while Harley Geistfeld doubled, walked and scored two runs.

Caitlin Jordan singled home a run and scored once for the Jaguars, while Madisen Lewis added a hit.

The Jaguars travel to St. Clair today for a 4:30 p.m. game against host St. Clair/Mankato Loyola.

Prep Baseball

Martin County West 13, Heron Lake-Okabena/Fulda 2 — Zach Anderson scattered three hits and struck out nine in six innings pitched to lead the Mavericks to a 13-2 non-league baseball win over the Coyotes on Monday in Heron Lake.

Anderson gave up two runs — both unearned — and walked two en route to earning the win. Isaac Olson pitched one inning, giving up no runs, no hits, one walk and struck out two.

Wyatt Williamson was 2-for-4 with two runs and three RBIs to top MCW, while teammate Lucas Larson was 2-for-4 with two runs and one RBI.

MCW’s Riley Kascht went 2-for-4 with two RBIs and Anderson was 2-for-5 with two runs and one RBI. Jacob Clarke was 1-for-3 with three runs scored and three RBIs.

Cole Schmidt went 2-for-3 to lead the Coyotes.

Martin County West (1-2) plays host to St. Clair at 4:30 p.m. today at Fox Lake Sports Complex in Welcome in a Valley Conference game.