Fairfax 7, Essig 6

NEW ULM — In a game with 33 total hits, the No. 10 Fairfax Cardinals battled back to top the No. 9 Essig Bluejays 7-6 in a Region 2C Amateur Baseball Tournament elimination game Sunday at Johnson Park.

While Essig outhit Fairfax 18-15, the Cardinals got the biggest hit of the game when it mattered most in the top of the ninth. After a wild pitch tied it up, Owen Swenson connected on a two-out RBI triple to give the Cardinals the lead. Swenson ended up going 2 for 5 with two RBIs in the game.

Scott Palmer, who pitched five innings in relief of starter Ethan Louwagie, ended up holding off Essig in the ninth for the win, allowing eight hits and four walks for two earned runs total while striking out three. Ethan Louwagie allowed 10 hits and two walks for four earned runs while striking out three in four innings.

Palmer also helped lead Fairfax’s attack offensively, going 3 for 5 with a double and an RBI, while Ethan Louwagie was 3 for 5 with a triple and two RBIs. Isaac Louwagie was 2 for 4 with a triple also for Fairfax, while Carter Peterson was 2 for 5 with a pair of doubles.

Winsten Nienhaus took the loss for Essig in four innings of relief, allowing six hits and two walks for two earned runs while striking out six. Eric Scheibel got the start on the mound for Essig, allowing seven hits and no walks for two earned runs while striking out one.

Isaac Lendt was 3 for 5 with three RBIs to lead Essig at the plate, while Nick Stadick was 3 for 5 with an RBI, Carson Helget was 3 for 5, Jay Helget was 2 for 3 and Jake Stadick was 2 for 6 with an RBI.

Essig’s season ended with the loss, while Fairfax moved on in elimination play and will take on Springfield at 11 a.m. Saturday in New Ulm.

Springfield 10, Gibbon 0 (7 innings)

NEW ULM — Brandon Wilhelmi pitched seven shutout innings and his team’s offense did its job as the No. 4 Springfield Tigers earned a 10-0 shutout win over the No. 11 Gibbon Reds Sunday in a Region 2C Amateur Baseball Tournament elimination game at Johnson Park.

The game ended in seven innings due to the 10-run lead rule.

Wilhelmi’s seven-inning victory saw him allow just one hit and one walk while striking out five. Jacob Poehler led the Tigers on offense, going 3 for 4 with a triple and an RBI, while Tyler Dick was 2 for 2 with three RBIs and Ryan Sturm was 2 for 3 with a double and four RBIs.

Alex Berkner got the start and took the loss for Gibbon, allowing five hits and five walks for seven earned runs in two innings. Aaron Bruns had Gibbon’s lone hit of the day on a double in the fifth inning.

Springfield moves on in elimination bracket play and will take on Essig at 11 a.m. Saturday back at Johnson Park, while Gibbon’s season ended with the loss.

Leavenworth 6, Sleepy Eye 5

NEW ULM — No. 2 Leavenworth avoided another upset in the Region 2C Amateur Baseball Tournament with a walk-off win over No. 8 Sleepy Eye on Sunday in an elimination bracket game at Johnson Park.

Leavenworth suffered a loss to No. 7 Stark on Saturday to fall to elimination play Sunday, and while the Indians looked in position to eliminate the Orioles, two errors gave the Orioles two runs and the win in the ninth.

No other statistics were provided for this game.

Sleepy Eye’s season ended in defeat, while the Orioles will play Lamberton at 1:30 p.m. Saturday back at Johnson Park.

Lamberton 6, St. James 0

NEW ULM — The No. 6 Lamberton Long Sox shut out the No. 13 St. James Athletics 6-0 on Sunday night at Johnson Park in a Region 2C Amateur Baseball Tournament elimination game.

Lamberton got on the board right away in the first with RBI singles from Will Carlson and Isaac Jenniges for a 2-0 lead. The Long Sox increased their lead to 4-0 in the fourth and plated single runs in the seventh and eighth before holding on for the shutout.

No other statistics were provided for this game.

Lamberton will play Leavenworth at 1:30 p.m. Saturday back at Johnson Park for another elimination game, while St. James’ season came to a close with the loss.