Fairmont's Gabriella Leiding completes her home run trot after sending a solo shot to left against the Blue Earth Area Buccaneers Tuesday in Blue Earth.

BLUE EARTH – The Fairmont Cardinals came out swinging in the first inning of Tuesday’s Big South Conference softball game, scoring 18 runs in the inning to help rout the Blue Earth Area Buccaneers 27-2 in three innings.

“[It was] just a fun game,” said Fairmont assistant coach Tim Terfehr after the Cardinals racked up 18 hits. “It was good to see the girls hitting the ball. We barreled a lot of balls up. It was a hit parade. It was fun.”

Leading the Cardinals was Brylee Miller, going 3 for 3 and five RBIs, while Alexis Sundeen went 3 for 4 with five RBIs. Abigail Sundeen went 3 for 3 with three RBIs, while Saige Leiding went 3 for 4 and two RBIs. Gwyneth Schultz went 1 for 2 with two RBIs, while Gabriella Leiding 2 for 4 with two RBIs. Ilana Moeller went 3 for 4 and an RBI, while Makayla Lowry went 2 for 4 and an RBI.

In the first inning, the first two batters in the Fairmont order walked immediately, putting a runner into scoring position. With runners on first and second, Miller drove a ball to left field, scoring the first two runs for Fairmont. Alexis Sundeen kept things rolling with a single that advanced Miller to third before a ground out by Gabriella Leiding brought home another run, extending the Cardinals’ lead to 3-0.

Abigail Sundeen stepped into the box for the Cardinals and, after falling behind in the count, sent a fly ball to left for an RBI double. Saige Leiding singled on a ground ball to center, advancing the runners and scoring one. Now, with two outs, the Buccaneers were almost out of the inning, but Makayla Lowry singled to left, bringing in a run. Schultz kept the offense going, driving a ball to deep left for a triple that scored two runs. Up 8-0, Miller returned to the batters’ box and put a pitch on a rope to center for an RBI triple.

Alexis Sundeen looped a ball to left field, bringing Miller home before Gabriella Leiding reached on an error that allowed Alexis Sundeen to score. Abigail Sundeen drove one on the ground between the shortstop and second basemen that reached center field for an RBI single. With runners at the corners, Saige Leiding hit a line drive to center for a single and an RBI to put Fairmont up 13-0. The Cardinals added five more runs before the Buccaneers could get the third out.

Miller walked the leadoff batter to open the bottom of the first inning before striking out two and forcing a groundout to end the inning.

A lead-off home run by Gabriella Leiding opened the second inning for the Cardinals, and Blue Earth could only watch it as it sailed over the left-field fence. That was followed up by a solo home run by Gabriella Leiding.

The bottom of the second inning is when the Buccaneers offense found a little success, scoring on two errors by the Cardinals to cut into the lead and make the score 27-2.

An uneventful third inning brought the game to a close. In the top of the inning, a leadoff single by Moeller gave the Cardinals their only baserunner before a fielder’s choice and back-to-back pop outs finally slowed the Fairmont offense. A swinging strikeout by Blue Earth put the first out on the board in the bottom of the third, but a double play off a line drive to Miller locked in the Fairmont victory.

The Cardinals, now 2-0, will host St. James for a doubleheader starting at 4 p.m. on Thursday.