WHO’S OUT AT FIRST? — Fairmont catcher Ethan Hurn (left) fires the baseball to first to record an out on a Hadley batter during Game 1 of the two teams’ third-place, best-of-3 Region 13C series on Wednesday night at Herb Wolf Field in Fairmont. Martins’ starting pitcher Jack Hested (middle) and third baseman Arnaldo Malave (right) look on. (Photo by Greg Abel)

FAIRMONT — Good pitching, solid defense and timely hitting allowed the Fairmont Martins amateur baseball team to beat the Hadley Buttermakers 3-2 on Wednesday at Herb Wolf Field in Fairmont in Game 1 of a third-place Region 13C best-of-3 series.

Game 2 is scheduled for a 2 p.m. start Saturday in Hadley.

“Our pitching gave us a chance tonight,” Fairmont player/coach Levi Becker said. “We played good defense and had some key hits. That’s playoff baseball. Tight game, good pitching and defense. We know we’re in the state playoffs, but it was nice to get the win.”

Fairmont third baseman Arnaldo Malave started two double plays, catcher Ethan Hurn threw out Hadley runner Evan Lenz trying to steal third base and the team had the key hits when needed to pull out the one-run win.

In addition, Fairmont received solid pitching from starter Jack Hested and reliever Adam Schmidt, who earned the win.

Hested pitched the first five innings and earned a no-decision. He gave up two earned runs, six hits, no walks, hit one batter and struck out two. Schmidt pitched the final four innings, giving up no runs, five hits, no walks and struck out five.

For Hadley, Luke Gilbertson went the distance, but took the tough loss. He pitched eight innings, giving up three runs — all earned — on nine hits, no walks, hit two batters and struck out three.

The Buttermakers took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning. With two outs and nobody on base, Evan Lenz doubled and scored on a Brent Hokeness single.

The Martins tied it 1-all with a run in the third inning. Landen Meyerdirk had an infield hit, took second when Spencer Chirpich was hit by a pitch and scored on Hurn’s two-out double.

The Buttermakers took a 2-1 lead in the top of the fifth inning. Avery Weber was hit by a pitch, moved to second on Brody Wixon’s single and came around to score on Abe Paulzine’s double.

The Martins scored the tying and go-ahead runs in the bottom of the sixth inning.

Hurn led off with a single, advanced to third on Jon Traetow’s single and scored on Levi Becker’s single. Traetow motored home from second base on Schmidt’s single to score the eventual winning run.

Fairmont’s Hurn had a team-best three hits, while Schmidt had two. Traetow, Levi Becker, Malave and Meyerdirk had one hit apiece.

For Hadley, Abe Paulzine had a team-best three hits, while Lenz, Hokeness and Austin Irlbeck had two hits apiece. Weber and Wixon had one hit apiece.

No. 2-seeded Fairmont improved to 19-7 overall with the win, while No. 5-seeded Hadley lowered its mark to 19-11.

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Luke Gilbertson (LP) and Brent Hokeness. Jack Hested, Adam Schmidt (6, WP) and Ethan Hurn.

LOB–Hadley 8. Fairmont 8. 2B–Evan Lenz (HAD) 2, Abe Paulzine (HAD), Ethan Hurn (FMT). SAC–Brendan Schmidtke (FMT).