STATE QUALIFIERS — Members of the Fairmont American Legion Post 36 fastpitch softball team advancing to play Browerville in the opening round of the Minnesota state tournament in New York Mills on Saturday, July 29, include, front row (left to right): Jayda Healey, Reese Olson, Emma Gudahl, Tiffany Lowry, Kynlie Anderson and Emily Muller. Back row: Coach Aaron Lowry, Ilana Moeller, Ella Klunder, Chloe Miller, Nevaeh Rahm, Makenzie Lowry, Makayla Lowry, Abi Sundeen, Ava Gillmore, Mandy Pytleski and coach Cory Hainy. (Photo by Greg Abel)

FAIRMONT — A historic 2-for-2 performance.

Nevaeh Rahm and Mandy Pytleski fired back-to-back complete games, while shortstop/leadoff hitter Emma Gudahl proved both a defensive and offensive catalyst to guide Fairmont Post 36 to the Minnesota American Legion Girls Fastpitch state softball tournament for a second consecutive summer.

Rahm hurled a two-hitter to complement going 2-for-2 with a triple and two RBIs, while Gudahl went 2-for-3 with two RBIs and three runs scored to power Fairmont Post 36 to a 12-3 triumph over United in the first game of a best-of-3 series on Saturday at Hands Park near Fairmont.

Pytleski scattered seven hits inside the pitching circle to go with drilling an RBI double from the batter’s box, while Gudahl went 2-for-3 with an RBI to complement delivering three defensive gems in the field to help Fairmont Post 36 clinch the Southwest Sub-State crown with an 11-4 Game 2 win over United on Saturday afternoon.

Fairmont Post 36 opens the state quarterfinals against Browerville Post 293 at 11 a.m. Saturday, July 29, on Field 2 at Lund Park in New York Mills.

Fairmont Post 36 defeated Howard Lake by a 12-5 decision to capture third place during last year’s history-making, first-ever legion-sponsored state event at Jaycee Park in Mankato.

“Emma (Gudahl) did a nice job of getting on base from the leadoff spot to set the table, and our Nos. 2 through 5 hitters did a great job of scoring her to grab the early leads in both games,” said Fairmont Post 36 coach Aaron Lowry. “After that, our pitching and defense took care of the rest.”

“If you can play great defense, you always give yourself the chance to win, and that’s what our girls did (Saturday),” Fairmont Post 36 coach Cory Hainy said in reference to his lineup committing only one error during the two-game sub-state series.

Gudahl set the early offensive tone by lining a leadoff single and capitalizing on one of United’s six errors by wheeling to second base on an outfield miscue. Gudahl motored to third on a wild pitch and crossed the plate when Rahm hammered an RBI single up the middle. Pytleski, who was courtesy running for Rahm, gained third on Abi Sundeen’s sharp single to left and later scored on a wild pitch for a 2-0 lead.

United — which is comprised of players from St. James, Madelia, Truman and Butterfield — answered with two runs in the bottom of the first. Sammy Urban singled with two outs and scored when Briley Henderson’s fly ball was dropped. Karlee Clair, who was courtesy running for Henderson, later crossed the plate on Lauryn Grev’s RBI single back through the box.

Rahm then settled into a pitching rhythm and allowed only Urban to score a solo run in the fourth on Emma Mohwinkel’s RBI groundout.

Jayda Healey and Makenzie Lowry collected back-to-back hits to trigger Fairmont’s six-run outburst during the top of the third inning.

“We hit the ball with authority and ran the bases well to break out with six runs in the third,” said Hainy.

Gudahl reached on an error and swiped second before Pytleski blooped in an RBI single just behind first base. Rahm walked before Sundeen and Ella Klunder each connected for two-run singles to widen Fairmont Post 36’s margin to 8-2.

Makenzie Lowry and Makayla Lowry reached on back-to-back errors during Fairmont Post 36’s fifth and final at-bat before Gudahl delivered both twin sisters to the plate with a two-run single. Rahm later crushed an RBI triple to the left-center gap before Sundeen’s grounder was misplayed to plate another run.

Rahm allowed three runs — only one earned — on two hits, struck out six and walked three in five frames to earn the Game 1 victory.

Gudahl singled and scored on Pytleski’s launched RBI double to left field to help set the table for Fairmont Post 36’s four-run bottom of the first effort in Game 2.

Rahm, who had walked, and Sundeen, who reached on a fielder’s choice, both circled the bases on Klunder’s pivotal two-run single up the middle. Klunder produced a doubleheader-best five RBIs on the day.

Kynlie Anderson’s RBI groundout later capped Fairmont Post 36’s quick 4-0 lead.

Mohwinkel, Sophie Solheid and Sophia Cooke each singled to help United answer with two runs during the top of the second in Game 2. Pytleski then worked around Mohwinkel’s RBI double in the fourth and Cooke’s double in the fifth to garner the complete-game win for Fairmont Post 36.

Gudahl’s incredible dive to the hole and pinpoint throw from her knees limited United’s fourth-inning rally to a solo run before turning in back-to-back gems to help close out Game 2 in the fifth.

Solheid legged out an infield hit in the fifth for United before being waved home on Cooke’s double. Fairmont Post 36 centerfielder Ava Gillmore, however, fired a strike to the cutoff — Gudahl. Gudahl rifled a perfect toss to catcher Ilana Moeller for the out at the plate.

Ironically, United’s Johanna Rodriguez lined a one-hop shot off the Fairmont third baseman’s glove and Gudahl grabbed the carom and pegged a strike to first for the second out of the frame.

Makenzie Lowry drilled a two-run single and Gudahl blooped in an RBI single to highlight Fairmont Post 36’s three-run second at-bat. Rahm doubled, Sundeen walked and Emily Muller reached on an error during Fairmont’s third. Klunder and Gillmore each contributed RBI groundouts, while Anderson added a run-scoring single.

Makenzie Lowry then singled home Fairmont Post 36’s solo run in the fourth. Lowry went 3-for-4 with three RBIs during the two-game sub-state series.

Pytleski allowed four runs — two earned — on seven hits, struck out four and walked one in five frames of work to earn the complete-game victory.

In the other state quarterfinal games at Lund Park in New York Mills on Saturday, July 29, Osakis faces Danube/Olivia Posts 227 & 186 at 11 a.m. on Field 1; LaCrescent Post 595 battles New York Mills Post 116 at 1 p.m. on Field 1, while Upsala Post 350 squares off against Bemidji Post 14 at 1 p.m. on Field 2. The championship and consolation state semifinals will be either at 3 or 5 p.m. Saturday.

On Sunday, July 30, the seventh-place game is set for 10 a.m., the third-place contest is slated for 11 a.m., the fifth-place bout is scheduled for noon, while the championship game is set for 1 p.m.

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(Game 1)

Fairmont   206 04 — 12 11 1

United        200 10 —   3  2 6

Nevaeh Rahm (WP) and Iliana Moeller. Corban Tatro (LP) and Briley Henderson.

LOB–Fairmont 5, United 4. 3B–Nevaeh Rahm (FMT). SAC–Kynlie Anderson (FMT).

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(Game 2)

United         020 11 —  4  7  2

Fairmont    433 1x — 11  8  0

Emma Mohwinkel (LP) and Briley Henderson. Mandy Pytleski (WP) and Iliana Moeller.

LOB–Fairmont 5, United 4. 2B–Fairmont: Mandy Pytleski and Nevaeh Rahm. United: Emma Mohwinkel and Sophia Cooke.