Windom 000 411 100 = 7-13-1
Fairmont 000 002 100 = 3-5-1
For the second straight season, the Windom Pirates head to the Class C State Amateur Baseball Tournament as the Region 10C champions.
The Pirates defeated the Fairmont Martins 7-3 Friday in Fairmont to win the best-of-three championship series two games to none.
ThePirates were able to break through in the top of the fourth inning. Keenan Wenzel led off with a double and Drew Rothenberger reached on an error. Alex Fink then blooped a ball down the left field line for an RBI single. Quintin Tietz beat out a sacrifice bunt attempt, loading the bases.
Kobe Lovell hit a run-scoring sacrifice fly, followed by back-to-back RBI doubles from Luke Gilbertson and Hayden Tietz for a 4-0 lead.
The Pirates padded the lead on a Rothenberger RBI single in the fifth and a Chase McDaniel RBI double in the sixth for a 6-0 lead.
Fairmont scored on a pair of bases-loaded walks in the bottom of the sixth, but reliever Lovell got a strikeout at end the threat.
Windom’s final run scored on a Lovell RBI single in the seventh.
Collin Lovell struck out the side in the bottom of the ninth, sealing the victory for the Pirates.
McDaniel, Wenzel, Rothenberger, Fink and Quintin Tietz had two hits each in the win.
Rothenberger worked five shutout innings, allowing three hits and striking out six in the victory.
The Pirates will open the state tournament on Aug. 22 with a 6:30 p.m. game in Shakopee against the Clearwater River Cats. Clearwater enters the state tournament with a 14-17 overall record and advanced as the Region 1C runner-up. The Pirates bring a 26-3 overall record into the state tournament.
The Pirates also added some additional arms with the Region 10C draft. After previously drafting Fox Lake pitcher Paxton Gravlin prior to the semifinal round, the Pirates added two more pitchers for the state tournament roster, adding Milroy Irish righty Trevor Smith and Jackson Bulls lefty Will Larson.
Next games: Check for updates after each game.
Windom: vs. Clearwater (at Shakopee), Aug. 22
