Photo by Jake Olson: Fairmont Martins pitcher Zach Jorgenson lunges towards the plate during the first inning of Sunday afternoon's contest against the Milroy Irish at Herb Wolf Field.

FAIRMONT – One inning was all it took to power another Fairmont Martins victory.

The Martins scored five runs off five hits in the home half of Sunday afternoon’s first inning against the Milroy Irish, guiding the 5-3 win at Herb Wolf Field to improve their record to 8-4 on the summer. Fairmont has won two of its past three contests.

It all started with Eli Anderson. The former Fairmont Cardinal turned Purdue Boilermaker placed a high-tempo bunt between Connor Lanoue’s spot on the pitcher’s mound and his middle infield. Luke Becker walked before Jon Traetow took advantage of a pair of stolen bases from his teammates, slashing a two-RBI single that plated both runners in one swoop.

Zach Jorgenson and Lance Becker later loaded the bases off an error and a bloop single to right field. The Martins picked up their final two runs off back-to-back RBI singles from Spencer Chirpich and Levi Becker, placing an early crooked number on the left field scoreboard.

“The first inning was huge for us; it was literally our entire offense for the game,” Fairmont Martins manager Levi Becker said.

It was up to Jorgenson to hold the advantage on the rubber. And while he had plenty of traction on the basepaths, the right-hander was able to wiggle through multiple jams and hold the Irish to just a pair of runs.

Outside of Milroy plating two scores in the second off RBIs from Moses and Dominic Dolan, Jorgenson ultimately stranded seven runners on base through his three-inning start. His ability to limit the damage kept Fairmont on top.

“Jorgy’s a gamer. Hit by pitches and walks don’t phase a guy like that,” Levi Becker said. “He knows he has a job to do, and he treats every at-bat as its own individual battle. He knows he cannot dwell on the previous at-bat and that his job is to get the next guy out. Fortunately, he was able to do that today.”

It didn’t hurt that the Fairmont defense behind him was sharp all day, finishing with no errors and making every play in front of them. Consecutive slick plays from third baseman Merritt Pomerenke and shortstop Luke Becker got the Martins out of the third inning unscathed. It proved to be a difference.

“Defense was stellar today, which is what we needed with how many baserunners we let on” Levi Becker said. “I think that’s a silent confidence for our pitchers too, where they know they don’t have to be perfect every time they’re out there. They have a solid defense behind them.”

Jorgenson’s day was done after plunking Moses Dolan to begin the fourth. Derek Shoen came in for a relief effort. While the lead-off runner ultimately touched home plate following Tyler Peterson’s fielder’s choice hit to Luke Becker, Shoen again used the Martins defense to escape the jam, with Lance Becker making a nifty play at second to get back to the dugout.

Jorgenson finished with three earned runs on three hits. He walked four batters and hit three more. Lanoue bounced back from his rough first frame with five scoreless. He held Fairmont to zero hits in this stretch while striking out a total of six batters.

Shoen tacked on two more frames after his blanketing performance in the fourth. He finished with three strikeouts and one allowed hit. Chirpich picked up the save with a clean seventh inning that saw no baserunners.

Fairmont returns to action this Wednesday against the Lakefield Horned Frogs, traveling to Stan King Field for a first pitch at 7:30 p.m. The Martins’ next home game is Wednesday, July 8, at Herb Wolf Field, taking on the Heron Lake Lakers.