ABOVE: Luke Becker searches for the ball under the lights on Wednesday night in Fairmont. He would find it and get the out.

FAIRMONT – In their first home game of the season on Wednesday, the Martins went up early but saw their lead trickle away as they lost to Jackson 3-2.

It was a pitchers duel through four innings, with neither team either to develop any momentum. That changed on a dime in the fifth. Spencer Chirpich, the pitcher who had done his part to keep it scoreless, reached on an error. Joey Crissinger then crushed the ball to left-center field, hitting a home run that brought Chirpich home and made it 2-0. Two strikeouts would end the inning.

In the top of the sixth, Jackson fired back. After a walk and the runner stealing second, Evan Olesen struck with a double to bring home Blake Evans. A flyout stopped the run there at 2-1.

Both teams would have no luck until the eighth. The Martins had a good defensive play in the seventh, when the runner on first was caught stealing with two outs to end the inning.

With two outs in the eighth and a runner on, Carter Snyder tied the game for Jackson with a double to score Easton Bahr. A potential lineout reached on an error, and the subsequent single by Chris Gumto scored the go-ahead run for Snyder. A lineout stopped the bleeding at 3-2.

Fairmont had their turn in the eighth with a single and stolen base by Landon Meyerdirk after one out. A strikeout and lineout left him stranded, and the side would strikeout in the ninth to leave the score at 3-2.

Chirpich dealed for eight innings, with nine strikeouts and at least one strikeout in every inning he pitched. Nate Soelter pitched in the ninth, retiring the side with a strikeout, flyout, and pop out.

The Martins (1-1) play at home again at 7:30 p.m. on Friday against Heron Lake.