FIRING TO FIRST — Fairmont third baseman Anna Ehlert (left) fields a bunt and fires to first base for an out against Windom Area during Game 2 of the Eagles’ softball triangular on Saturday in Windom. Fairmont starting pitcher Brylee Miller watches the play. (Photo by Greg Abel)

WINDOM — Fairmont ace right-hander Tegan Livesay can earmark April 29 as an early highlight to her senior softball season.

Livesay recorded the 500th strikeout of her prep pitching career and matched her own single-game school strikeout mark of 18 to highlight the second perfect game of her career during the Cardinals’ first game of the Windom Area triangular on Saturday.

For the second time during the final full week of April, Livesay did not allow a hit or run, did not issue a walk and did not allow a New Ulm Cathedral player to reach base in facing the minimum 21 batters to trigger Fairmont’s 8-0 victory in Game 1 of the round-robin event.

Livesay, who chalked up eight strikeouts during the final three innings of relief in the Cardinals’ 5-3 win over host Windom Area in Game 2, previously threw a perfect game against Luverne on April 24.

After notching an incredible 403 strikeouts during her high school diamond career in Newton, Kansas, the Southeast Missouri State University softball commit needed only 13 going into Saturday’s clash against Cathedral in Windom.

“I threw her a riseball,” Livesay said in reference to her historic baker’s-dozen ‘K’ for the second out of the fifth inning.

Livesay finished with 18 strikeouts in Fairmont’s shutout of Cathedral to match the program’s single-game record she initially set against New Ulm Public on April 11 before matching that mark three days later against St. James Area.

“It was another impressive pitching performance. Tegan threw a perfect game and made a very good New Ulm Cathedral team not look so good today,” said Fairmont head coach Cory Hainy. “We hit the ball with authority during the first game, connecting for five doubles, to give her all the run support she needed.”

Abi Sundeen went 3-for-4 with a pair of doubles and scored two runs to top Fairmont’s nine-hit performance against Cathedral.

Ava Gillmore generated two of her game-best three RBIs on a double during the fourth inning, while teammate Nevaeh Rahm drilled a third-inning double to produce one of her two RBIs on the opener for the Cardinals.

Brylee Miller contributed an RBI single and scored twice for Fairmont, Ava Terfehr singled, walked and crossed the plate twice, Anna Ehlert singled and scored once, Ashley Muller collected a pinch hit, Chantel Moeller added a run-scoring fielder’s choice, while Emily Muller walked and scored.

Miller then stepped to the chalked circle for Fairmont’s Game 2 against Windom Area and retired the first 11 batters she faced before the host Eagles broke through for three runs on three hits to tie the Cardinals during the bottom of the fourth inning.

Livesay faced the minimum nine batters in three scoreless and hitless innings of relief against Windom Area before drilling the go-ahead and eventual game-winning RBI double to plate Miller in the top of the seventh inning for a 5-3 victory over the Eagles.

Tied at 3, Miller — who went 3-for-3 with a walk — blooped a leadoff single behind first base to set the table for Fairmont’s late comeback against Windom Area.

Ehlert dropped down a perfect sacrifice bunt to move Miller into scoring position before Livesay hammered a towering RBI double off the left-field fence for a 4-3 margin.

Gabby Leiding, who was Livesay’s courtesy runner, scored an insurance run for the Cardinals on Rahm’s RBI single to center for the eventual two-run victory. Livesay fanned Windom Area’s side during the home half of the seventh to seal her second win of the day.

Chantel Moeller, who went 2-for-4 with a double in Game 2, staked Fairmont to a 2-0 lead during the top of the first against the Eagles. Miller reached on an infield hit, Livesay singled and both runners moved into scoring position on Rahm’s fielder’s choice. Courtesy runner Gabby Leiding and Livesay then scored on Moeller’s sinking liner to right.

Gillmore added the Cardinals’ third run by collecting a two-out single, swiped second base and alertly wheeled to third on the catcher’s overthrow. Gillmore scored on Miller’s RBI single up the middle for a 3-0 lead.

Tristyn Maras and Anja Nielsen produced back-to-back singles for Windom Area during the bottom of the fourth inning before Miller walked Madyson Fredin to load the bases with two out.

Leah Hauge then belted a sky-high fly ball that the Fairmont outfielder lost in the sun and fell untouched to the grass for a three-run double to knot the game at 3-all.

Miller finished with three hits, while Livesay, Chantel Moeller and Gillmore each produced two of Fairmont’s 10 hits against Windom Area.

Miller allowed three earned runs on three hits, struck out four and walked one batter in four innings pitched to receive a no-decision.

Nielsen gave up five runs on 10 hits, struck out six and walked one in seven innings of work to absorb the loss for Windom Area.

Fairmont (9-1) plays host to St. Peter at 5:30 p.m. Monday at Cardinal Park in a Big South Conference game.

(Game 1)

FMT   102 203 0 — 8 9 0

NUC   000 000 0 — 0 0 1

Tegan Livesay (WP) and Chantel Moeller. Megan Haala (LP) and Jaylin Hartness.

LOB–Fairmont 5, New Ulm Cathedral 0. 2B–Abi Sundeen (FMT) 2, Nevaeh Rahm (FMT), Ava Gillmore (FMT).

•

(Game 2)

FMT       210 000 2 — 5 10 0

WDM    000 300 0 — 3   3 4

Brylee Miller, Tegan Livesay (5, WP) and Ilana Moeller, Chantel Moeller (5).

LOB–Fairmont 8, Windom 1. 2B–Tegan Livesay (FMT), Chantel Moeller (FMT), Leah Hauge (WDM). SAC–Anna Ehlert (FMT).

•

United South Central 4, Martin Luther/Granada-Huntley-East Chain/Truman 2 — Mariah Anderson piled up a game-best 17 strikeouts from the pitching circle and Brylee Neubauer singled home two runs to pace the Rebels’ narrow two-run victory over the Jaguars during nonconference action Saturday in Wells.

Anderson allowed two runs on four hits and issued two walks in seven innings of work to earn the complete-game victory.

Olivia Bungum collected two of USC’s seven hits and generated one RBI, while teammate Molly Wegner went 1-for-2 with a walk and two runs scored.

Keira Benck went 2-for-3 with a run scored to top the Jaguars, while Londyn Bowers produced an RBI double and crossed the plate once. Addison Sill supplied one hit for the Jaguars, while Harley Geistfeld delivered one RBI.

Mandy Pytleski allowed four runs — two earned — on seven hits in six innings pitched for the Jaguars. Pytleski struck out five and walked only one.

The Jaguars play host to Nicollet in a rescheduled game on Monday in Truman.