Photo by Jake Olson: Fairmont catcher Gwyneth Schultz heads home during the fourth inning of Thursday afternoon's Section 2AA second round match up against Randolph at Cardinal Park.

FAIRMONT – The Fairmont softball team doesn’t win these types of games. The challenge wasn’t No. 5 Randolph’s one-run lead. But rather, the Cardinals’ typical history during this part of the playoffs.

Fairmont head coach Cory Hainy said that the program has generally struggled to come out victorious in the second round of the section tournament, a game that can place a team in a prime position for Saturday’s third-round, double-elimination portion of the Section 2AA Softball bracket in Mankato.

This season was a different result. Despite the Rockets’ multiple attempts to thwart No. 4 Fairmont’s home-field advantage, Hainy’s team came out victorious in Thursday’s battle at Cardinal Park, using two runs in the sixth inning to power the 6-4 win. Fairmont will next play No. 1 Lake-Crystal-Wellcome-Memorial at Caswell Park starting at 2:00 p.m. The Cardinals are now 16-6 this spring.

“I knew coming in that this would be pretty evenly matched, looking at the QRF’s, which were almost identical,” Hainy said. “Their schedule isn’t as tough as ours, but they’ve beaten all the teams that they should. So I knew this was going to be tough.”

And tough it was. On top of beating their opponents by an average of more than eight runs, Randolph carried energy and intensity on and off the field, which directly translated into their high-tempo style of play.

Bunting, stealing and creating havoc for opposing defenses is the exact type of game they want. It’s what has carried them to an impressive 18-3 record entering Thursday.

“They put a lot of pressure on you defensively because they’re aggressive with bunting and running,” Hainy said.

However, Randolph didn’t need much of this to jump out to its second-inning lead. Just the stick of Amelia Davis. The Rockets’ four-hole hitter glided a ball that cleared over the left field fence, throwing the game’s first punch right off the powerful delivery of Fairmont starting pitcher Brylee Miller.

Randolph added an additional run in the third after piling together a string of singles. Allie Gillette brought home Mackenzie Murray from second base after her poke into right field. But Miller did her own part defensively to help escape the inning.

Backing up a throw to third base, the senior flicked the ball towards catcher Gwyneth Schultz for the quick tag of an advancing Tenley Otte. This was a common theme of the night. Fairmont’s defense did all the little things to limit the damage from Randolph. Instead of it being second and third with Davis coming to the plate, the third inning was over.

Hainy’s team answered with some firepower of their own in the home half of the frame. Fairmont made sure to cash in on any opportunities on the base paths. Schultz knocked her first of three hits on the night deep into center field for a stand-up, lead-off double, firing up the home Fairmont crowd that had been looking for something to cheer for.

Miller followed this by sending her teammate to third on a deep flyout to right field. Lexi Sundeen then collected her first of two RBIs after towering another sacrifice pop-up that fell deep enough to give Schultz the time to score. The Rockets’ lead was cut in half.

Fairmont’s offense ceased to stop in the next inning. Sydney York and Brooklyn Stone started things by reaching base on a walk and an error from Stella Pagel in the circle. Schultz continued her strong afternoon with a game-tying RBI single to right field.

The final blow of the frame came off the bat of Miller, who drove her lone hit of the game to the left-center gap for a bases-clearing, two RBI triple. It was the third time the Cardinals’ offense had converted with a runner in scoring position.

“She [Stella Pagel] was hitting her spots,” Hainy said. “She kept the ball on the outside of the zone a lot, and we were patient at the plate today. She worked away from the plate. We took those pitches, made her bring it in the zone and we hit it.”

But it wasn’t going to be that simple. Randolph had one more counterpunch waiting in the sixth inning.

Otte began with a fence-touching double that immediately put pressure on Fairmont’s defense. While Otte was able to reach third on a passed ball from Miller, the Cardinals’ infield converted on another game-changing play three pitches later.

Gillette searched for her second RBI of the game with a shot that Fairmont third baseman Avery Kurt initially bobbled. Seeing Otte heading towards home, the sophomore charged towards her to secure a pickle that ultimately led to a tag from Miller. Another nifty play from Miller and the Cardinal defense to prevent a potential run.

However, consecutive hard-hit balls that were stopped by Sundeen at shortstop loaded up the bases with one out. Two batters later, Pagel delivered the game-clinching RBIs with a powerful rip up the middle. The score was back to square one.

As before, Fairmont needed to answer. Hainy’s team has gotten back up during the late innings of games all season long. Thursday was no different.

Nora Fitzgerald did her job when laying down a sacrifice bunt that moved Stone to second base following her single. Schultz capped her amazing performance with another center-field laser that brought her into third base with ease. Another sacrifice flyout from Sundeen added the much-needed insurance run before the inning ended.

This victory did much more than mark the fifth time Fairmont has won a second-round game in sections. It encapsulated what the Cardinals have done all season long. The ability to fight tooth and nail through adversity is something Hainy hopes to see the rest of the postseason.

“They threw a punch, we threw another one back. So it was good to see that [response],” Hainy said. “We’ve had a ton of close games against good teams, so I don’t expect us to wilt.”