Photo by Jake Olson: The Fairmont baseball team celebrates together after Jensen Livesay's two-run home run in the third inning of Saturday's Section 3AA quarterfinal matchup against New London-Spicer at Legion Field in Marshall.

MARSHALL – An answer was necessary.

New London-Spicer’s first-inning strike set an immediate tone during Saturday afternoon’s Section 3AA quarterfinal matchup against Fairmont. The deficit appeared even larger as the Cardinals struggled against Logan Swenson through the first two innings. Fairmont needed a spark.

Head coach Don Waletich was never worried about the early disadvantage. He knows his team better than anyone, believing it was only a matter of time before things turned around. And by the end of the third inning, the once calm and collected Fairmont dugout was radiant with energy. They saw the response.

The jolt of life came within a two-pitch sequence. Two and three-hole hitters Jensen Livesay and Joey Crissinger brought pop into the traveling Fairmont faithful who made the trip to Legion Field in Marshall, towering back-to-back hits over the deepest part of the park to even up the score at three. It was a catalyst for the Cardinals’ offense the rest of the way.

Over the next three innings, Fairmont tallied up seven more hits, tacked on four additional runs, and countered the early deficit with a knockout blow themselves. The 7-4 victory not only moves their record to 19-4 this spring but also sets the Cardinals up for a section semifinal matchup against Windom Area on Monday afternoon. First pitch is set for 5:00 p.m.

“Our guys got through adversity,” Waletich said. “We have a lot of comeback wins this year, so the guys didn’t panic.”

It didn’t seem like Fairmont pitcher Noah Heckman would make a deep start after the first four batters faced. The Wildcats immediately laced the bases with two runners after consecutive errors from Merritt Pomerenke and Vincent Schultz.

Two swings later, and New London-Spicer had a multiple-run advantage. Ethan Nelson and Cole Laughlin each rocketed a pair of hard-hit line drives to the gaps of the outfield. Each RBI hitter flared signs of emotion back to their home dugout. They knew the tone was set.

Swenson helped continue New London-Spicer’s energy with his delivery on the mound. Outside of Pomerenke’s lead-off single in the home half of the first, the next seven Fairmont batters to make contact resulted in routine flyballs to the Wildcat defense. The first trip through Waletich’s batting order was futile.

But Heckman’s ability to settle in proved to be a big reason for Fairmont’s eventual victory. His strikeout of Caleb Nelson in the first frame not only got him out of the initial jam but seemed to be a confidence boost the rest of the way. This belief only rose with every pitch he threw.

“Sometimes that first inning, with all good pitchers, they don’t quite have everything sharp yet,” Waletich said. “It seemed like that today, but after that, he was throwing much better and settling in. He just got better as the game went on.”

Consecutive no-run innings from the Wildcats gave Fairmont enough time to rally something offensively in the third. While the offense previously struggled, everything changed with Livesay and Crissinger.

These two bats have been the key to some of the Cardinals’ biggest hits this spring. Saturday’s performance was just the latest example. Fairmont’s offense shifted in every facet the moment Crissinger’s bat touched the grass.

“It just wakes us up a little bit, and tells us that we can do this,” Waletich said. “Those two guys have been mashing the ball all year. But everybody contributed. Those two are kind of our leaders in hitting, and it just kind of followed after them.”

New London-Spicer temporarily reclaimed the lead during its next trip to the plate. Easton Munstermann’s initial double to left field stretched into something further.

With the help of the ivy-coated outfield walls of Legion Field, Munstermann scampered all the way home to push his team up 4-3. But this lead was just temporary. Much like Heckman, Fairmont’s offense continued to climb with a new swagger after every trip to the plate.

Fairmont answered back in the bottom of the fourth. Brayden Williamson followed Schultz’s lead-off single with a well-placed bunt to the left side. Long took advantage of the runner in scoring position with his lone hit of the afternoon, finding the left-center field gap to even things up.

Crissinger then picked up another RBI on the sixth pitch from Swenson. The single gave Fairmont an advantage that they would never let up.

The Cardinals tacked on two additional insurance runs in the seventh to further separate. Wildcat relief pitcher Laughlin couldn’t contain Pomerenke and Crissinger from reaching base via walk.

Mason Bicknase and Nolyn Goerndt picked up the timely hits with consecutive singles that tallied on two additional scores.

Heckman continued to dazzle in the seventh after picking up the eighth and ninth strikeout of his start to close out the contest. He finished with two earned runs on four hits and two walks.

“We’re just getting better. For the last month, these guys have been sticking around and practicing harder than ever. They want to stay after and get better, and see that we can do something here. It’s a credit to the kids.”