ABOVE: Fairmont’s Haleigh Grotzinger lays down a bunt for a single. A triple from Gwyneth Schultz would send Grotzinger home, as Fairmont picked up the playoff win against Sibley East.

FAIRMONT — The second-seeded Fairmont Cardinals started the Section 2AA Softball Tournament with a 7-0 shutout of 15-seeded Sibley East Wednesday.

The game was meant to be played on Tuesday but was postponed due to rain. Besides the rain, conditions were fairly similar, with temperatures in the mid-40s.

Gabriella Leiding started for the Cardinals and pitched for two innings. She had six strikeouts, struck out the side in the first inning, and allowed only one hit with one error.

The remainder of the game was pitched by Brylee Miller. In five innings she had four strikeouts, gave up three hits, and retired the side in order three times.

Action started early in the first, with a sacrifice fly by Ilana Moeller bringing in Miller. Though the inning started hot, a runner caught out would leave it 1-0.

The bats opened up in the second. After singles by Bria Williamson and Haleigh Grotzinger, Williamson got home due to a lineout. Gwyneth Schultz smacked the ball for a triple, scoring Grotzinger. The run ended after a lineout by Miller scored Schultz, making it 4-0.

Innings three and four were quiet, but five provided another burst. Miller hit a double, advanced on a lineout, and scored after a passed ball left home plate open. Back-to-back walks set up Williamson to bring home pinch runner Sydney York on a lineout to make it 6-0.

The icing on the cake came in the sixth. Makenzie Lowry singled and stole second base. A smash hit by Miller would give her her second RBI of the game, scoring Lowry and sealing the deal with a 7-0 victory.

The Sibley East Wolverines attempted to mount a comeback in the seventh, with two singles putting a runner in scoring position with one out. Thanks to defensive and pitching resilience, a strikeout and lineout kept the game a shutout for the Cardinals.

Due to severe weather in other parts of Minnesota, the planned Thursday game has been pushed back to Friday. The Cardinals (13-7) will host the winner of Jordan and Waterville-Elysian-Morristown at 5 p.m.