Whitewater 7, Yellowjackets 3
Box Score

The Yellowjackets opened the WIAC portion of their 2013 schedule on a chilly Friday night in Whitewater, Wis., taking on the nationally-ranked UW-Whitewater Warhawks. A perennial favorite to win the conference, the Warhawks set the tone early and never looked back, defeating the Yellowjackets 7-3.

The Warhawks opened with a five-run first inning off Yellowjacket starter Travis Elwood (Ramsey, Minn./Anoka) by taking advantage of several Yellowjacket mistakes, batting around the order and collecting four hits. After loading the bases, a wild pitch and Yellowjacket error would help give the Warhawks their first two runs. Mikole Pierce and David Cladis would each hit run-scoring singles, setting an early 5-0 Warhawk lead.

Cladis would help extend the Warhawks lead in the fourth inning by opening the inning with a sharp single to center field. After stealing second and advancing to third on a Dylan Friend single, Cladis would use his speed to score on another wild pitch by Elwood, his second of the game that resulted in a Warhawk run. Friend would also come around to score after Marty Herum singled to right field to give the Warhawks a 7-0 lead.

Quintin Zander started for the Warhawks was able to hold the Yellowjacket offensive scoreless until the sixth inning.

Jeff Miller (Minneapolis, Minn./Washburn) opened the sixth inning with a single to right field and advanced to third on a Tom Fairbanks (Brainerd, Minn./Brainerd) double. Miller would come around to score on a Tony Remund (Andover, Minn./Coon Rapids) sacrifice fly to deep center field. Freshman Tyler Duex (Chippewa Falls, Wis./Chippewa Falls), competing in his first conference game, helped tack on another run, scoring Fairbanks with a single down the third base line to draw the Yellowjackets to within five at 7-2.

The Yellowjacket offense would score for the last time in the seventh inning after TJ Evanson (Lakeville, Minn./Lakeville North) smashed a ball to the left-center gap for a ground-rule double. Evanson would come around to score on a Miller single.

Brock Liston came in to relieve Zander and made quick work of the Yellowjackets in the eighth and ninth innings to help secure the Warhawks' third conference win of the season. Zander would be credited with the win to improve to 1-1 on the season and helping the Warhawks improve to 12-3 and 3-0 in WIAC play.

The Yellowjackets out-hit the Warhawks, scattering 11 hits throughout the game. Evanson and Miller each collected three hits. Elwood received the loss for the Yellowjackets giving up seven runs (five earned) in six innings of work. He walked four batters and gave up eight hits. Graham Miller (Cumberland, Wis./Cumberland) and Kyle Gauger (Spooner, Wis./Spooner) each threw a scoreless inning in relief.

With the loss, the Yellowjackets fall to 7-9 on the season and 0-1 in WIAC play.

The Yellowjackets and Warhawks will return to the diamond tomorrow (April 6) on the campus of UW-Whitewater. First pitch is scheduled for 4:00 p.m., or immediately following the completion of the UW-Stevens Point vs. UW-Platteville doubleheader. Dan Genrich (Wausau, Wis./Wausau West) is scheduled to start for the Yellowjackets.