WORTHINGTON -- Increasing their 4-3 lead into a 9-3 advantage with five runs in the final two innings Monday afternoon, the Fairmont Cardinals earned a 9-5 victory over the Worthington Trojans in non-conference softball action at Centennial Fields.
Six Cardinals had a single in the top of the sixth inning, as Fairmont scored three times in the frame and added two insurance runs in the seventh to go up by six.
Worthington (2-4) put its first three batters on base in the bottom of the seventh, but Fairmont (1-3) allowed just two of them to score and retired the final three hitters -- including the last two on strikeouts -- to secure the victory.
Fairmont's Maddie Bittner and Worthington's Kristen Dierks each hurled a complete game, striking out nine and two batters, respectively.
"Kristen threw strikes, but they hit the ball well, and we made some mistakes in the field," Worthington head coach Sam Baumgartner said after the game. "We hit the ball well, too, and missed out on some opportunities to score more runs."
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Fairmont opened the game's scoring with a run in the second inning, as Ashley Steuber led off with a walk and later scored on a one-out single to center by Kelly Drayfahl. Worthington second baseman Rachel Pavelko then turned a nifty double-play (fielding a ground ball and tagging the runner advancing to second before making the throw to first) to end the inning and keep the score at 1-0.
Steuber's RBI-triple to deep right-center highlighted Fairmont's three-run third inning, as the Cardinals extended their lead to 4-0.
Worthington cut the lead to two (4-2) with a pair of runs in the bottom of the third, but had chances for more. Kaylee Williamson led off with a walk before five consecutive Trojans smacked a single.
Lydia Mick, Lynn Harberts, Pavelko (RBI), Kaela Wiese (RBI) and Carrie Timmerman each singled, but a baserunning mistake that led to an out at the plate, a strikeout and a 9-3 putout got the Cardinals out of the jam with only Williamson and Mick scoring.
Worthington's Emily Ebbers led off the fourth with a single, but the Cardinals got a strikeout-throwout double-play to keep the Trojans from threatening.
Pavelko again turned a 4-3 double-play in the top of the fifth, and the Trojans scored a run in the bottom half to make it a one-run game at 4-3. Wiese was hit by a pitch with two outs and came around to score on a trio of wild pitches from Bittner.
Fairmont, though, answered with three runs in the sixth and two more in the seventh. Steuber, Chelsea Ehlert and Drayfahl each singled and scored, while Courtney Harris, Kayla Swanson and Samantha Beck also had a base-hit apiece in sixth.
Steuber led off the Fairmont seventh with another triple and later scored on a throwing error to put the Cardinals up 8-3. Ehlert reached on a fielder's choice and scored on Bittner's single to center to make it 9-3.
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Worthington finished the game's scoring by plating a pair of runs in the bottom of the seventh. Mick and Harberts each reached on an error before scoring on Pavelko's double to center.
Bittner, though, retired the next three batters to secure Fairmont's victory.
Worthington hosts Brandon Valley today before visiting Redwood Valley for a Southwest Conference doubleheader Thursday.
R H E
FHS 013 003 2 -- 9 13 2
WHS 002 010 2 -- 5 8 3
Windom 13, SWU 3 (5 innings)
WINDOM -- Malori Paplow went 3-for-3 with a double, a triple, an RBI and three runs scored to pace the Windom Eagles (2-5) past the visiting Southwestern United Wildcats (0-8) Monday in a Red Rock Conference softball tilt.
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Megan Mattson was 2-for-3 at the plate for the Eagles, scoring a run and batting in three runs.
Eagle pitcher Steph Uttech earned the victory on the bump, giving up no earned runs on one hit while striking out four and walking eight.
Kasey McNab suffered the loss, giving up 10 earned runs on 12 hits. McNab struck out two and walked two over 4 1/3 innings. McNab was 1-for-2 at the plate with two RBI and a walk.
SWU hosts Adrian today.
R H E
SWU 000 03 -- 3 1 2
Windom 112 45 -- 13 12 3
