FAIRMONT – The Fairmont Cardinals applied pressure from the get-go and never let up, beating Redwood Valley on Thursday in a playoff game 11-1 in five innings.

It started out with a bit of a scare, as a liner caught starting pitcher Joe Long square in the lower leg. He got up right away and was able to continue with no apparent issues, pitching until the fifth inning and accumulating four strikeouts. Assistant Coach Matt Lytle said that grit and resilience were contagious.

“Especially from a senior guy who’s been with us for four years almost,” he said. “He knows what big games are and how to pitch in big games, and he wasn’t gonna come out of that game.”

In their half of the first, the Cardinals made themselves heard. Merritt Pomerenke singled to start, then stole second to get into scoring position. Jensen Livesay was walked, and Joey Crissinger was hit by a pitch to load the bases.

Pomerenke and Livesay would both get home on sacrifice flies by Joseph Hackett and Mason Bicknase to make it 2-0, but a shallow pop-up ended the rally there.

The second would see a tight situation the Cardinals came in clutch for. Brayden Williamson singled and Pomerenke was walked, but by Pomerenke’s turn to bat, there were already two outs. After both were able to steal a base on a wild pitch, Livesay took advantage by pummeling a single to score both of them. A pop-out then ended the inning.

While there had been steady progress up to this point, the Cardinals uncorked in the third inning. It started with consecutive singles by Hackett and Bicknase. A sacrifice bunt by Nolyn Goerndt moved both of them over into scoring position.

After Vincent Schultz was walked, a wild pitch during Williamson’s at-bat scored Hackett and advanced Bucknase and Schultz. Williamson would then be walked as well. Redwood Valley then changed pitchers, but the new arm proceeded to also throw a wild pitch, this time to Long, to score Bicknase.

After a strikeout made it two outs, Pomerenke cleared the bases with a slapped single, scoring Schultz and Williamson. A fly-out stopped the bleeding at 8-0.

The cherry was put on top by the Cardinals in the fourth. Hackett and Bicknase again made themselves heard with back-to-back singles, with Hackett replaced by pinch runner Brock Rodning. The bases were then loaded by a walk from Goerndt, and Schultz got Rodning home on a sacrifice fly.

With Bicknase already at third, Goerndt got himself in better position with a tricky steal of second. Needing at least one run to end it early, Williamson connected for a single, far enough to drive home Bicknase and Goerndt. A long fly-out ended the inning for the Cardinals.

Redwood Valley saw a brief glimpse of hope in the fifth, as the first three batters were walked to load the bases. A double play drove one home and brought a runner to third, but a pop-up in foul territory put the lid on any potential rally and wrapped it up 11-1.

Lytle said to have such a solid outing in their first playoff game is huge.

“It gives us confidence going into the next rounds and gives us a lot to look forward to,” he said.

Leading up to their next playoff game Saturday, Lytle said he is looking to see good, quality defense out of his players.

“High school baseball is all about defense, pitching and putting the ball in place,” he said. “Little things of the game we’ll focus on.”

The Cardinals (18-4) have their next game Saturday at 2:30 p.m. against Windom Area on the Legion Field in Marshall.