ABOVE: Spencer Chirpich winds up to deliver a pitch for Fairmont during a regular-season amateur baseball game in Hadley. File photo by Jake McNeil/Marshall Independent.

LUVERNE– The Fairmont Martins defeated the Luverne Redbirds 11-6 in Game 3 of the Region 13C Championship series at Redbird Field on Sunday, securing a first-round bye in this year’s state tournament.

Going into the game, we knew it was going to take a lot of pitching to kind of get through there and that’s exactly kind of how we pieced it together, said Martins manager/player Levi Becker. Matt Lytle went two, almost three innings and then just right onto the next guy. Paxton [Gravlin] pitched really well for his two innings and then Spencer [Chiprich] came in clutch, he almost threw five innings on three days’ rest and then Derek [Shoen] to close it, but you know, there’s just a back and forth. It honestly felt like a state tournament game. Luverne’s a really good team.

In the top of the 12th inning with the score 6-6, the Martins found their stride with a leadoff single from Luke Becker. That was immediately followed by a Chirpich single before the Redbirds walked Shoen intentionally to load the bases.

Lincoln Becker was walked, bringing Luke Becker home for the first run of the inning. Levi Becker singled to left to bring home Chirpich before Shoen scored another run on a wild pitch. Lincoln Becker then scored off of another wild pitch before an Arnaldo Malave single brought home Levi Becker for the final run.

Shoen was able to shut down the Rebirds in the bottom of the inning to help clinch the Region 13C Championship and a first-round bye in the state tournament.

In the top of the first inning, Luke Becker opened the game with a triple before a Chirpich groundout to first brought Luke Becker home for the first run and only run of the inning. The Martins retired the side in order bringing a quick end to the inning.

The Martins and the Redbirds both had a solid defensive second inning with neither team being able to add to the scoreboard.

The Redbirds managed to stall the Martins offense in the top of the third inning, giving up a single hit to Shoen before a groundout got the defense off the field. The Redbirds opened with a groundout before a flurry of hits managed to bring two home and give them a 2-1 lead.

The Martins again were unable to respond in the top of the fourth inning after two consecutive walks as they stranded two on base. The Redbirds were able to extend the lead, adding one run to their tally in the bottom of the fourth before the Martins defense was able to close the inning trailing 3-1.

In the top of the fifth inning, the Martins were able to reopen the scoring with an early walk to Chirpich, who was then brought home by a Shoen double on a ground ball to center for the first run of the inning. Lincoln Becker brought in the second and last run of the inning on an RBI single to right to tie the game at 3-all. The Martins’ defense kept the Redbirds at bay in the bottom of the inning, maintaining the tie heading into the next inning.

In the top of the sixth inning, the Martins were able to extend their lead by two runs. A Lance Becker single gave the Martins their first base runner of the inning and he was followed by an Ethan Hurn and Chirpich walk. A passed ball allowed both Hurn and Chirpich to score, bringing the game to a score of 5-3. The Martins’ defense gave up one run, making the score 5-4 heading into the seventh inning.

The Martins had two base runners courtesy of a couple of walks but were unable to capitalize and ended the first half of the seventh without adding to their lead. In the bottom of the seventh, the Redbirds were able to notch a run of their own to tie the game up at 5-5.

In the top of the eighth, Hurn struck out to open the inning for the Martins. Luke Becker followed up with a deep home run to center field, regaining the Martins lead at 6-5. The Redbirds responded with a run of their own, tying the game back up before a fly ball into a double play making it 6-6.

Neither team could get on the board in the ninth, 10th, or 11th inning, with the defenses holding strong. The Martins then broke things open in the 12th for the win.

The Martins’ next game is on Aug. 24 against the winner of the Farming Flames and Maple Lake Lakers game.