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University of Wisconsin-Superior Athletics

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Wisconsin-Superior
Yellowjackets
Wyatt Soderquist

Baseball

Baseball splits to open conference play

Wyatt Soderquist


The Yellowjacket baseball team opened WIAC play on Saturday with a pair of games at UW-Oshkosh, and three innings were all that separated them from a sweep of the day.  With a game-one victory in the books already, the Yellowjackets held the lead in the bottom of the sixth in game two, but Oshkosh scored the final four runs of the game to earn the split in extra innings.

And each team found a way to push the winning run across without putting the ball in play.

Game 1
Yellowjackets 2, Oshkosh 1
Box Score

Offense was in short supply in the opener, as the teams combined for just seven hits in a game dominated by pitching.

Luke Westphal came out firing for the Titans, fanning six hitters in the first three innings.  Mike Swanson (Superior, Wis./Superior Senior), who was dogged by control problems throughout the contest, matched him frame-for-frame.

The game was scoreless through three innings, but the Yellowjackets broke the stalemate in the top of the fourth inning.  Tony Remund (Andover, Minn./Coon Rapids) led off the inning with a single.  He moved to second when Wyatt Soderquist (Cambridge, Minn./Cambridge-Isanti) reached on an error while trying to bunt Remund into scoring position.  Jeff Miller (Minneapolis, Minn./Washburn) moved both runners up a base with a sacrifice bunt, and one out later Robbie Veith (Brainerd, Minn./Brainerd) broke the tie with an RBI single so left field and it was 1-0 Yellowjackets.

Oshkosh tied the score in the bottom of the fifth.  Luke Gajewski walked to lead off the inning, one of four Titan walks in the game.  Consecutive ground outs moved Gajewski to third and a wild pitch brought him home to tie the game.

Remund again got the scoring rally started for the Yellowjackets, singling to lead off the ninth.  He was replaced on first by Soderquist, who reached on a fielder's choice.  Soderquist moved to second on a wild pitch, took third on a passed ball and then scored the winning run on another wild pitch.

Swanson pitched into the bottom of the ninth, but his control issues kept him from getting the complete game win.  With two outs, Swanson hit a batter and had a man reach on an error to put two runners on.  He was relieved by Cody Johnson (Owatonna, Minn./Owatonna), who got the final out to preserve the win.

Swanson got the win, improving to 2-1 on the year.  He went 8 2/3 innings and allowed a run on three hits.  He did strike out three, but he also walked four and hit four batters to go along with a pair of wild pitches.  Johnson pitched the final 1/3 inning to pick up his second save of the season.

Westphal pitched a complete game for the Titans, allowing two unearned runs on four hits.  He walked two and struck out 11, but also had two costly wild pitches.

Remund led the way for the Yellowjackets offensively, going 2-3.  Veith and Tom Fairbanks (Brainerd, Minn./Brainerd) had the other hits for the Yellowjackets.

Game 2
Oshkosh 4, Yellowjackets 3 (11 innings)
Box Score

Game two started out as a masterpiece for Yellowjacket pitcher Ethan Branum (Nisswa, Minn./Brainerd).  The reigning WIAC Pitcher of the Week, Branum not only kept Oshkosh off the scoreboard, but held them hitless into the sixth inning as the Yellowjackets built a 3-0 lead.

For the second game in a row, it was scoreless after three innings.  And for the second game in a row, the Yellowjackets broke that tie in the top of the fourth inning.

Soderquist led off with a walk and #T.J. Evanson# singled to put two on with one out.  A bunt single from Veith loaded the bases and Fairbanks singled to right, scoring Soderquist and Evanson to make it 2-0.  Later, Shaun Marshall (Stillwater, Minn./Stillwater) reached on an error, scoring Veith and the Yellowjackets were up 3-0.

In the bottom of the sixth Doug Beattie reached on an error to lead off the inning, the first baserunner of the game for the Titans.  Gajewski singled to break up the no-hitter, putting runners on the corners.  A fielder's choice scored Beattie and it was 3-1.  A Brock Guetzke single added another run and the Titans pulled to within one at 3-2.

Oshkosh tied the game in the bottom of the eighth.  A fielder's choice put runners on the corners with two outs, and the play also spelled the end of the day for Branum, who gave way to Bobby Tyndall (Ashland, Wis./Ashland).  Tyndall was greeted by a bunt from Kyle Van Abel, who reached base and drove in the tying run, making it a 3-3 game.

After their three-run outburst in the fourth, the Yellowjackets were effectively shut down the rest of the way.  They were only able to muster one more hit in the contest, that being a single in the top of the 11th inning.  Oshkosh didn't fare much better, but they were able to scratch out the winning run.

In the bottom of the 11th, Guetzke reached on an error.  Van Abel bunted him to second and a Trey Demler single put the winning run 90 feet away.  A wild pitch moved Demler to second.  Moments later, a passed ball allowed Guetzke to scamper home, giving the Titans the win and a split on the day.

Evanson and Fairbanks had two hits apiece for the Yellowjackets, who were only able to produce five hits in the game.  On the other side Tyler Kamps led the way for Oshkosh, going 2-5.

Branum pitched 7 2/3 innings, allowing three runs (one earned) on five hits.  He walked one and struck out four.  Tyndall pitched 2 2/3 innings and surrendered an unearned run on two hits in taking the loss.  He's 0-1 on the year.  Yellowjacket pitchers weren't helped by their defense in the second game, as the Yellowjackets committed four errors. 

James Lacy threw eight innings for Oshkosh giving up three runs on four hits with three walks and four strikeouts.  Matt Wells came on in relief, throwing three scoreless innings and allowing one hit to pick up the victory. 

The Yellowjackets (10-7, 1-1 WIAC) and the Titans will play another doubleheader on Sunday, April 1.  First pitch is scheduled for 12:00 p.m.
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