Martins reaching state by sweeping A's
Simon Heuer, Sentinel Sports InternFAIRMONT - The Fairmont Martins are heading to the Minnesota Class C amateur baseball state tournament after completing a three-game sweep of the Pipestone A's on Sunday at Cardinal Park.
The Martins wrapped up Game 3 and the best-of-5 Region 13 playoff series in dramatic fashion with a 6-5 extra-inning victory in Fairmont.
Dustin Fritz hit a two-run, game-winning single with two out in the bottom of the 10th inning to seal Fairmont's first walk-off win of the season.
With the game tied at 4-all, Matt Oye led off the top of the 10th with a single for Pipestone. Oye then advanced to third on a wild pitch and a sacrifice bunt.
Wade Newgaard delivered a one-out fly ball to center that was not deep enough to score Oye, but an error by Fairmont catcher Andy Williamson allowed Oye to score the go-ahead run and gave Pipestone a 5-4 lead.
"I thought the momentum had shifted their way," said Fairmont player-coach Scott Chirpich, "but we had the top of the order coming up."
The top of the order proved to be just what Fairmont needed as Chirpich led off the home half of the 10th with a single to center and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Mike Peters.
After a strikeout, Pipestone intentionlly walked Adam Schmidt, who eventually scored the winning run.
With two out, Fritz hit a fastball down the right-field line that dropped in for a single. Chirpich scored easily from second and Schmidt scored the winning run from first on a poor defensive play by Pipestone.
"I was going on the crack of the bat," Schmidt said. "I was almost to third, looked back and saw them miss the cut, so I just kept running."
Schmidt slid safely into home and was mobbed by his state-bound teammates shortly thereafter.
"It's a big deal," Schmidt added. "Feels good when the guys are piling on top of you. It's awesome."
The Martins started the scoring early with two runs on two hits against Pipestone starter Sam Schneider in the bottom of the first inning.
After Peters reached on a walk, Pete Bissen stepped up and hit a two-run home run to deep left field that gave the Martins an early 2-0 lead.
Miah Fitzgerald, a draftee from Fox Lake, started the game on the mound for Fairmont and didn't give up a hit until the third inning.
Oye led off the top of the third with a single and advanced to second when Brady Legler followed suit. Oye took third on a sacrifice fly to center and scored on a Kent Woelber single to right that reduced Pipestone's deficit to 2-1.
After a quiet bottom of the third, Fairmont came out swinging and scored two more runs on two hits in the fourth.
Ian Bents led off with a single to center and advanced to second on a hit-and-run groundout to third. Andy Williamson then singled to center to score Bents from second.
Williamson, who advanced to second on a bad throw and reached third on a wild pitch, later scored on Chirpich's sacrifice fly.
Leading by a 4-1 margin, the game looked to be well in Fairmont's collective hands until Pipestone scored three unearned runs in the top of the sixth to tie the game.
Two ground balls that could've been double plays to end the inning were misplayed by the Fairmont defense and Pipestone's three runs on two hits was enough to bounce Fitzgerald from the game.
Peters came on in relief and only allowed one hit in four innings of work.
Fairmont relief pitcher Will Glienke, a draftee from Spencer, Iowa, surrendered the go-ahead run to Pipestone in the top of the 10th, but ended up with the win after Fairmont's dramatic comeback.
With the 6-5 win, the Martins swept the best-of-5 series with three wins by one run and two of them in extra innings.
"It feels really good to win another close one," said Chirpich. "It was a good series. The bats got hot when we needed them to."
The Martins play in the Region 13C Championship Saturday against the winner of the Jackson-Adrian series to determine seeding for state.
The Class C state tournament begins Sunday, Aug. 17, in Chaska.
Pipe. 001 004 000 1 - 5 7 3
Fmt. 200 200 000 2 - 6 11 5
Miah Fitzgerald, Mike Peters (6), Will Glienke (8, WP) and Andy Williamson. Sam Schneider, Matt Oye (5, LP) and Nate Alfson.
LOB-Fairmont 12, Pipestone 6. HR-Pete Bissen (F). SAC-Scott Chirpich (F), Peters (F), A. Williamson (F), Alfson (P), Wade Newgaard (P).
