Windom 301 101 4 = 10-6-3
Fairmont 060 000 0 = 6-5-1
The Windom Eagle baseball team moved to within one win of the Class AA State Tournament Monday evening, shaking off an early deficit to defeat Fairmont 10-6 at Legion Field in Marshall.
The Eagles opened the game strong with three runs in the top of the first. Hayden Tietz scored when Jackson Joyce reached on an error. Easton Piotter was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded and Joe Walinga hit a run-scoring sacrifice fly.
Fairmont answered with six unearned runs in the bottom of the second, capitalizing on a pair of Eagle errors to extend the inning and capping the rally with back-to-back two-run doubles.
But the Eagles calmly clawed their way back into the game. Matthew Voehl hit an RBI single in the third. Soren Nielsen added an RBI single in the fourth and Stevie Meyer tied the game with a sacrifice fly in the sixth.
The Eagles then took command in the top of the seventh. Walinga and Ben Ludewig started with back-to-back walks. Matt Redman then put down a sacrifice bunt, with Walinga beating the throw attempt to third, loading the bases with no outs.
Tietz then drew a bases-loaded walk, giving the Eagles a 7-6 lead. Joyce then unloaded a bases-clearing double, stretching the Eagle lead to 10-6.
After Fairmont drew a leadoff walk to start the bottom of the seventh, Tietz came on in relief of Walinga, who threw four sparkling innings of one-hit shutout ball. After back-to-back strikeouts, Fairmont got a second runner on base on a dropped third strike with two outs. But Tietz then closed out the win with a strikeout.
The Eagles will play in the Section 3AA championship Thursday. The game is scheduled to be played in Marshall, beginning at 5 p.m. Windom will need one win, while the team coming from the elimination bracket would need to beat the Eagles twice.
The elimination bracket continues Tuesday with Montevideo facing New London-Spicer at 5 p.m., with the winner then playing against Fairmont at 7 p.m.
Next games: Check for updates after each game.
Windom: vs. Fairmont (at Marshall), June 4
