FAIRMONT - Area baseball diamonds will literally be heating up this week with the start of the Region 13C amateur playoffs; the 2nd District, Southwest Sub-District VFW tournament; and the Division II, 2nd District American Legion baseball postseason in 90-degree temperatures.
The Fairmont Martins (21-6) open their best-of-3 regional amateur baseball series against the Tracy Express at 7:30 p.m. tonight at Herb Wolf Field in Fairmont.
The Martins then travel to Tracy on Friday night for Game 2, with the first pitch being thrown out at 7:30 p.m. If the two teams split, the decisive Game 3 will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday back at Herb Wolf Field.
The Fox Lakes Foxes open their regional series against Hadley at 7:30 p.m. tonight in Truman. The game was moved from the Foxes' home field of Welcome due to Truman's ballpark having lights.
Game 2 shifts to Hadley at 7:30 p.m. Saturday night, with an 'if necessary' Game 3 taking place at 2 p.m. Sunday in Hadley.
The winners of those two series advance to an eight-team regional tournament, with the eventual Region 13 champion and runner-up advancing to the Minnesota Class 'C' state tournament at Dick Putz and Joe Faber fields in St. Cloud.
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The Fairmont VFW Post 1222 baseball lineup (12-9) opens the Southwest Sub-District postseason by facing Blue Earth at 2 p.m. Thursday in St. James.
The winner of the Fairmont-Blue Earth game plays the winner between Mapleton and St. James at 7 p.m. Friday back in St. James, while the loser meets the loser between New Ulm Gold and Wells at 2 p.m. Friday in St. James.
VFW sub-district baseball action continues in St. James over the weekend, with the championship game set for 1 p.m. Sunday. The top two teams advance to the 2nd District tourney in New Ulm next week.
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The Blue Earth American Legion Post 89 and Truman Post 115 baseball teams begin play in the Division II, 2nd District tournament Friday in Truman.
Blue Earth (12-8), the Sub-District 'C' runner-up, faces Sub-District 'B' champion Springfield at 11 a.m. Friday in Truman.
Luverne, the Sub-District 'A' runner-up, then faces Sub-District 'B' runner-up Mountain Lake at 1:30 p.m. Friday.
St. James, the 'C' champion, plays Sub-District 'A' No. 3 representative Windom at 4 p.m. Friday.
Host Truman caps Friday's first-round district action by taking on Sub-District 'A' champion Pipestone in a 7 p.m. game.
The Division II, 2nd District tournament continues Saturday and Sunday before finishing on July 27-28 in Truman. The championship game is set for 1 p.m. Saturday, July 28.
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All-Valley Conference diamond accolades.
Ten area baseball and softball players earned all-league honors for the high school spring campaign, while six took honorable mention.
Garrett Schock, Dylan Petrowiak and Tony Payne represented Martin Luther/Granada-Huntley-East Chain/Truman on the first team, along with Martin County West's trio of Mitch Sitzmann, Austin Krumwiede and Jake Faber.
ML/GHEC/Truman's Jeremy Smith and Spencer Schrader joined MCW's Tyson Schuder and Alex Biehn as honorable mention choices.
In the softball ranks, MCW's trio of Morgan Williamson, Rebecca Steen and Kate Thiesse - along with Madelia/Truman's Savannah Stevens - garnered all-conference first-team recognition.
MCW's Sara Ingledew and Madelia/Truman's Hanna Hartman rounded out the area softball representatives as honorable mention choices.