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Wisconsin-Superior
Yellowjackets
Taylor VanDamme
Tina Prior

Softball David Nelson

Yellowjackets sting Eagles, fall to Hawks

Taylor VanDamme


Yellowjackets 9, Benedictine 1
Box Score
 
CLERMONT, FLA.,--The Yellowjackets increased their winning streak to three games, defeating the Eagles from Benedictine University 9-1 in their first game of the day on Wednesday. 

After a scoreless first inning the Yellowjackets started to warm up in the second when Lindsay Garay (Lake Nebagamon, Wis./Northwestern High School) led off with a double off the left field fence.  With one out, a Kayla Blom (Alborn, Minn./Albrook High School) single moved Garay to third base to put runners on the corners.  Up next was Sarah Stansfield (Hermantown, Minn./Hermantown High School) and she hit a hard ground ball that was mishandled at second base, bringing home Garay to give the Yellowjackets a 1-0 lead.  After Stansfield and Blom advanced on a sacrifice bunt by Kristen Haider (Dassel, Minn./Dassel-Cokato),  they were driven home on a single by Taylor VanDamme (Superior, Wis./Superior High School) to make the score 3-0 Yellowjackets.
 
The Eagles answered with a run in the bottom of the second inning when Nikki Powers torched a single to left field, scoring Alex Daviera to narrow the Yellowjacket lead to 3-1.  Daviera previously reached base by hitting a double to the left field fence.
 
The Benedictine run didn't faze the Yellowjackets heading into the third inning.  Elle Niemala smoked a double to right field and Garay followed with a walk.  Blom continued to thrive at the plate this game, this time smacking a double to bring both runners around the score and make it a 5-1 game.
 
The Yellowjacket bats remained red hot in the fifth inning when Garay led off with a double.  Blom went on to record her third hit of the game, producing a single to put runners on the corners.  Stansfield reached on with a fielder's choice and Garay scored on the play to widen the score to 6-1.  Haider later doubled, scoring Blom to make it 7-1.  VanDamme continued her strong day offensively as well, picking up an infield single that brought home Stansfield, stretching the Yellowjacket lead to 8-1.
 
The Yellowjackets added one more run in the seventh inning.  Jarzin walked and came in to score on a sharp single by Niemala to make the final score 9-1.
 
Amanda LeBard (Superior, Wis./) got the pitching start, allowing one run on five hits while walking no batters and striking out four.  VanDamme led the charge at the plate for the Yellowjackets with four hits.
 
SUNY-New Paltz 9, Yellowjackets 7
Box Score
 
In the day's second game the Yellowjackets dropped a tough 9-7 decision to the Hawks from SUNY-New Paltz, halting their winning streak at three games. 

The Hawks kicked off the scoring in the top of the second when Shelby Martin hit a double to center field.  Shayna Burgess drove Martin home with a single to give the Hawks a 1-0 lead. 
 
The Yellowjackets responded with a strong third inning. Hawks' center fielder Andrea Feeney dropped a line drive hit by Blom, scoring Ashlee Olson (Superior, Wis./Superior High School), who earlier reached on a walk, to tie the game 1-1.  The Yellowjackets took advantage of another error by the Hawks and Blom scored on a booted ground ball by the shortstop to give the Yellowjackets a 2-1 lead.  Later, another Hawks' error gave the Yellowjackets another run as Stansfield scored when a ball hit by VanDamme was booted, and the Yellowjackets were out to a 3-1 lead.
 
The Hawks tied the game with two runs in the third inning.  Marisa Monaco hit a hard single to right field.  A sacrifice bunt by the pitcher advanced Monaco to second base and Shelby Martin drove her home with a single to left field.  Later in the inning Alex Verso scored on a wild pitch by LeBard to tie the game at 3-3.
 
New Paltz built on that momentum in the fourth inning when Monaco drove in Andrea Feeney, who reached on an error, to give the Hawks their first lead of the game at 4-3.  Garay took over the pitching duties for the Yellowjackets, but that didn't stop the Hawks as Martin tripled to bring home Emily Collazo and increase the lead to 5-3.
 
The Yellowjackets answered the bell and tied the game at 5-5 in the bottom of the fourth inning.  Blom led off with a single but was erasedon a fielder's choice.  Later in the inning with two out, VanDamme singled to put runners on the corners and Jarzin coming to bat.  Jarzin drilled a single to left field, scoring two runners, tying the game.
 
The Yellowjackets added another run in the sixth inning when Jarzin hit an infield single that brought home VanDamme, who tripled, to make the score 6-5 Yellowjackets. 

The Hawks drew even once again in the top of the seventh inning when Alyssa Oliva drove in Kristen Schork and it was 6-6, sending the teams to extra innings.
 
With a runner placed on second using the international tiebreaker rule, the Hawks took advantage and grabbed the lead.  A Melissa Liotta sacrifice moved Noelle Grande to third base.  Grande eventually scored on a sacrifice fly by Feeney and Benedictine led 7-6. 

In the bottom of the inning the Yellowjackets responded.  With a runner on second, a sacrifice bunt by Stansfield moved Blom to third base.  Blom would score on a wild pitch to tie the game at 7-7.
 
The game moved to the ninth inning and the Hawks capitalized, scoring a pair of runs to regain the lead.  With two outs, Monaco scored from second base on a dropped throw by Jarzin to make the score 8-7.  The Hawks added another run when a Martin sacrifice fly to center field scored Meg Brewer and the lead stretched to two runs at 9-7.

In the bottom of the ninth, the Yellowjackets needed two runs to stay in the game.  Jarzin was placed on second, but unfortunately that was the extent of the offense.  Whitney Brugman (Marquette, Mich./Marquette) grounded out and Niemala flew out, which advanced Jarzin to third.  The game ended, however, when Garay flew out to left field.
 
LeBard pitched the first 3 1/3 innings, allowing five runs (four earned) on ten hits, walking one and striking out one.  Garay pitched the final 5 2/3 innings and was tagged with the loss.  She allowed four runs (none earned) on four hits with a walk and two strikeouts. 

For the second straight game VanDamme led the way for the Yellowjackets at the plate, picking up three hits in the losing effort.
 
The Yellowjackets (4-6, 0-0 WIAC) will an off day on Thursday before returning to action on Friday (Mar. 23) when they will take on Eastern Connecticut State University of Willimantic, Conn. at 5:00 p.m. and Colby College from Waterville, Maine at 7:00 p.m.
 
 
 
 
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