Fairmont 7, Jordan 5
The Jordan Brewers survived three two-run games en route to the state title in 2019. Another nail-biter didn't go their way in 2020.
The Fairmont Martins are on to the state quarterfinals for the first time since 2013 with a 7-4 win Saturday afternoon.
Fairmont gave itself a cushion right away with two runs in the top of the first inning on a Jon Traetow single.
Jordan loaded the bases with no outs in the home half, only to concede a double play up the middle for a lone run.
Fairmont tacked on a run on a Jake Waletich RBI single in the third. Waletich added another RBI on a single in the fifth. A Derek Shoen sacrifice fly plated another in the frame for a 5-1 lead.
The score held until a Nate Beckman solo homer gave the Brewers life to lead off the bottom of the eighth. They put runners on first and third before Colin Lovell got out of the jam.
Lovell, a draftee from the Windom Pirates, produced another strong outing for Fairmont. After allowing one run on six hits in last week’s win over Waconia, Lovell fended off multiple Jordan threats to throw eight innings with two earned runs allowed on 11 hits with two walks and seven strikeouts.
The Martins added two insurance runs in the ninth that proved important. A dropped fly ball to left for the third out brought in a run. A Shoen double scored the other.
Shoen came in to pitch the ninth and walked his first three batters. Adam Schmidt replaced Shoen and allowed a RBI single to Beckman.
With runners on the corners, Schmidt got a much-needed strikeout. A wild pitch scored a Jordan run to make it 7-5. Schmidt picked up the save thanks to a deep fly out to left and a strikeout swinging.
Beckman took the loss for Jordan. He pitched 8 ⅔ innings, allowing 11 hits, seven runs (six earned), with no walks and five strikeouts.
Fairmont advances to play noon Sunday in Springfield against the Buffalo Bulldogs.
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