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The Pipestone Area Schools’ baseball team faced its most daunting task of the season last Friday at City Field.
Fairmont provided the opposition.
The Cardinals entered play with the second-highest Quality Results Formula (QRF) used by minnesota-scores.net (105.1) in Class AA. Fairmont is 33rd overall among the 359 baseball-playing schools in the state.
What’s more, Fairmont (13-1) was fourth overall in Minnesota High School Baseball Coaches Association polling. The Cardinals’ lone loss was to Esko, 6-2, on Friday, April 11.
Pipestone Area Schools’ Weston Reinhard cruises for home plate during a Big South Conference doubleheader versus Fairmont on Friday, May 9, at A’s/City Field. Fairmont swept this twinbill. (Star photo by Eric Viccaro)
“I looked at their QRF,” PAS head coach Rick Zollner noted. “They are very athletic, and they hit the ball way better than I thought they would.”
Add in some stout pitching, and those ingredients spelled a doubleheader sweep for Fairmont over PAS — with the Cardinals taking Game One, 15-2, in five innings. The Arrows were more competitive in Game Two, falling 9-6.
Since the games were on Friday, both head coaches had to juggle their pitching rotations.
For example, Trevor Chaulsett, Nohel Vivanco, Trey Boelman, Zayne Zollner and Luka Quist all saw time on the bump for the Arrows.
Pipestone Area Schools’ Nohel Vivanco pitched in both games of a doubleheader versus Fairmont from Friday, May 9. (Star photo by Eric Viccaro)
“Zayne threw pretty well for the first three innings, with four strikeouts,” Coach Zollner noted. “They did not hit the ball hard, but then in the fourth and fifth innings, he struggled.”
Pipestone Area Schools’ Zayne Zollner (right) touches gloves with Weston Reinhard after working out a jam. (Star photo by Eric Viccaro)
The Cardinals also used multiple pitchers, including Joey Crissinger, younger brother of former Fairmont and North Iowa Area Community College standout Jacob Crissinger, a key cog of the team’s 2022 AA state championship over Roseau. Cardinal starters were Mason Bicknase and Luke Haefner.
PAS (7-9) gave itself a fighting chance to win in the second game with a three-run third inning and single runs in the first and fourth. The Arrows were ahead 5-1 before Fairmont mounted its comeback in Game Two.
Chaulsett was 3-for-4 with three runs scored. Nohel Vivanco and Zayne Zollner both contributed two RBI. Trey Boelman also hit well, going 2-for-3, as the Arrows generated an 11-hit attack.
But, Fairmont had too much firepower, and the Arrows didn’t help matters any issuing 11 walks and three hit batters.
Pipestone Area Schools’ Trey Boelman snags a fly ball in left field during a game versus Fairmont from Friday, May 9. (Star photo by Eric Viccaro)
Diamond notes
The Arrows’ season is drawing to a close, with Redwood Valley at home Tuesday and Edgerton/Southwest Minnesota Christian Friday. They wrap up the regular season Monday at Tracy-Milroy-Balaton in Tracy.
Edgerton/SWC and T-M-B will provide strong competition for PAS, as both the Flying Dutchmen and Panthers feature winning records.
In those Class AA rankings, Duluth Marshall is tops, with Esko second and Perham third. Morris Area-Chokio-Alberta, Montevideo and Luverne also are receiving voting consideration.
Zollner reported playoff information should be available on Wednesday, May 21, through Section 3A coordinator Leo Theisen.
Pipestone Area Schools’ base runner Landon Quist breaks up a potential Fairmont double play. (Star photo by Eric Viccaro)
INFORMATION
BASEBALL
Linescores
Friday, May 9
At A’s/City Field, Pipestone
Game One
Fairmont 15, Pipestone Area 2 (5)
Score By Innings
Fairmont 1 4 5 3 2 — 15 13 1
PAS 0 0 1 1 0 — 2 6 3
WP: Mason Bicknase, Fairmont
LP: Trevor Chaulsett, PAS
2B: Nohel Vivanco and Landon Quist, PAS; Mason Bicknase, Joey Crissinger and Vincent Schultz, Fairmont
Game Two
Fairmont 9, PAS 6
Score By Innings
PAS 1 0 3 1 0 0 1 — 6 11 1
Fairmont 1 0 0 3 4 1 x — 9 5 2
WP: Luke Haefner, Fairmont
Sv: Josh Soelter, Fairmont
LP: Zayne Zollner, PAS
2B: Joey Crissinger, Fairmont; No extra-base hits for PAS
Trevor Chaulsett bats during a game versus Fairmont from Friday, May 9, at A’s/City Field. (Star photo by Eric Viccaro)