Brendan Schmidtke

WASECA — Brendan Schmidtke, Landen Meyerdirk and Lincoln Becker combined to allow only one run on three hits to power Class AA No. 1-ranked Fairmont to a Big South Conference baseball twinbill sweep over Waseca on Friday.

Schmidtke nearly pitched a rare perfect game en route to earning a no-hit complete-game shutout to pace the Cardinals’ 4-0 Game 2 victory over the host Bluejays at Tink Larson Field in Waseca.

Schmidtke demonstrated outstanding command of his deliveries, needing only 69 pitches to record the first no-hitter of his varsity pitching career. The senior ace right-hander notched two strikeouts, did not issue a walk and plunked one batter in seven flawless frames.

Waseca cleanup batter Payton Garza made a bid to spoil Schmidtke’s no-hit bid by connecting on a tailing liner toward the left-field corner with one out in the seventh inning. Fairmont left fielder Skyler Aukes, however, tracked down the hit to preserve Schmidtke’s pitching gem.

The Cardinals generated two runs in the second and two more in the fifth to give Schmidtke all the run support he would require.

Cooper Steuber reached on one of six Waseca errors in the nightcap before moving to second base on a walk to Schmidtke during the second inning. Levi Pooley delivered an RBI single before Joseph Hackett doubled Fairmont’s lead with an RBI ground out.

Aukes set the table in the Cardinals’ fifth at-bat by reaching on an error before Hackett followed suit. Aukes later scored on a wild pitch before Becker hammered an RBI triple for a 4-0 lead.

Nate Soelter went 2-for-3 with a double for Fairmont in Game 2.

Meyerdirk and Becker combined on a three-hitter from the mound in the opener to help Fairmont garner a 10-1 triumph.

Meyerdirk allowed one unearned run on two hits, struck out four and issued three walks in five innings of work to earn the win. Becker notched one strikeout and one walk while giving up one hit in two scoreless innings of relief.

Meyerdirk utilized his ability to reach base and blistering speed to cross the plate with four of the Cardinals’ 10 runs in Game 1. Meyerdirk walked twice, was plunked by a pitch and reached on a fielder’s choice to fuel his offensive output.

Steuber generated two of Fairmont’s five hits in the opener and scored a run, while Pooley manufactured a game-best three RBIs without getting a hit.

Soelter, Jack Kosbab and Schmidtke each collected one RBI on the strength of one hit. Soelter crossed the plate twice, while Kosbab and Schmidtke each scored one run. Becker also drew a walk and scored once.

Fairmont (7-0) plays host to Windom at 4:30 p.m. Monday at Herb Wolf Field.