Skip To Main Content

University of Wisconsin-Superior Athletics

schedule

Wisconsin-Superior
Yellowjackets
Matt Vold
Larry Radloff-d3photography.com

Baseball

Struggles Continue for Yellowjacket Nine

Matt Vold
Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

The Yellowjacket baseball team entered Saturday's doubleheader scuffling a bit, having dropped eight games in a row. They were looking to get back in the win column against a UW-Platteville team that was traveling in the opposite direction, having won eight straight. Unfortunately for the Yellowjackets, both teams left the day with their streaks in tact, as the Pioneers won both games.

Platteville 8, Yellowjackets 4

Too often this season the Yellowjackets have fallen behind early, and the opening game of Saturday's doubleheader was no different. Platteville scored once in the first inning before exploding in the second inning for six runs to open up a 7-0 lead. Jim Pavlik and Todd Wienkes delivered crucial blows in the second, each providing an RBI double. Platteville closed out their scoring with a single run in the bottom of the third for an 8-0 edge.

Down eight in the top of the fifth the Yellowjacket offense got to work and got the team on the board. Derek Cagle (Sauk Rapids, Minn./Sauk Rapids-Rice) and Alex Petroski (Park Falls, Wis./Chequamegon) started the inning with back-to-back singles to start the inning. With two runners on Greg Pitts (Chicago, Ill./Mount Carmel) tried to bunt the runners over and ended up reaching on an error. The error moved everyone up a base, meanwhile Cagle came across with the first run of the game for the Yellowjackets. Matt Vold (St. Croix Falls, Wis./St. Croix Falls) then singled home Petroski and it was 8-2. Alex Quinones (Waterloo, Iowa) followed with a ground out that scored Pitts and the Yellowjackets were clawing their way back into the game, down 8-3 through five.

With two out in the top of the sixth, the Yellowjackets manufactured another run. Seth Wage (Wausau, Wis./Wausau West) started thigns with a two-out walk and he came around on a single by Cagle and it was 8-4.

That's as close as the Yellowjackets would get, however, as the teams were scoreless the rest of the way. The Yellowjackets came close again in the eighth, putting a pair of runners on, but they were both stranded in the end.

The Yellowjackets had eight hits in the opening game, led by Pitts and Cagle with two apiece. Wienkes and Evan Greco, meanwhile, each had two-hit games for Platteville.

Richard Vanden Branden (Neenah, Wis./Saint Mary Central) got the start for the Yellowjackets and lasted just 1.2 innings, allowing seven runs (four earned) on six hits. It was his shortest outing of the season. He was relieved by Christian Hall (Siren, Wis./Siren) who pitched the rest of the way, allowing just one unearned run on three hits in 6.1 innings of strong relief. He walked two and struck out two.

Platteville 11, Yellowjackets 4

The second game followed a familiar pattern. A pair of big innings early gave the Pioneers everything they needed to sweep the day.

After a scoreless first inning Platteville scored three times in the second to move ahead. A two-run triple by Pavlik started the scoring and was the big blow in the inning.

The Yellowjackets got a run back in the top of the third. Wage led off with a single to left and was sacrificed to second. Two hitters later Vold drove him home to cut the lead to 3-1.

But the Pioneers got that run back, and then some as they exploded, scoring seven times as they sent 12 men to the plate to take a commanding 10-1 lead. Tanner Galezzi, Greco, and Pavlik all had RBI hits.

It stayed that way until the top of the sixth when the Yellowjackets got a run back on a solo home run by Quinones. The Yellowjackets added two more in the top of the seventh. With two outs Wage started the festivities with a walk. He went to second on a Sam Holden (Spooner, Wis./Spooner) single. A balk moved both runners into scoring position and Pitts reached on an error that brought home both runners, making the score 10-4.

Platteville closed out the scoring with a single run in the bottom of the eighth to make the final 11-4.

The Yellowjackets had eight hits in the game, led by Vold who went 3-for-4 in the game and driving in two. Wage went 2-for-3 and scored twice.

Kyle Gauger (Spooner, Wis./Spooner) started on the mound for the Yellowjackets and gave up eight runs (seven earned) on seven hits in 2.2 innings. He gave way to Trevor Stone (Minneapolis, Minn./Washburn) who allowed two runs on two hits in 4.1 innings. He walked three and struck out three. Freshman Brady Stocker (River Falls, Wis./River Falls) pitched the final inning, giving up one run on one hit. He also walked one and struck out one.

The Yellowjackets (3-17, 0-6 WIAC) and Platteville will play two more games Sunday, April 12. The first pitch is scheduled for 12:00 p.m.
 
Print Friendly Version

Players Mentioned

Derek Cagle

#6 Derek Cagle

OF
6' 0"
Senior
R/R
Kyle Gauger

#30 Kyle Gauger

P
6' 0"
Senior
L/L
Christian Hall

#3 Christian Hall

P
6' 1"
Senior
R/R
Sam Holden

#25 Sam Holden

IF
6' 0"
Senior
R/R
Alex Petroski

#21 Alex Petroski

SS
5' 9"
Senior
R/R
Alex Quinones

#24 Alex Quinones

C/3B
5' 11"
Senior
R/R
Trevor Stone

#15 Trevor Stone

P
5' 11"
Sophomore
R/R
Richard Vanden Branden

#4 Richard Vanden Branden

P
6' 1"
Sophomore
R/R
Matt Vold

#23 Matt Vold

IF
6' 0"
Senior
R/R
Seth Wage

#32 Seth Wage

OF
5' 10"
Junior
R/L
Greg Pitts

#11 Greg Pitts

OF
6' 0"
Freshman
R/R
Brady Stocker

#29 Brady Stocker

P
6' 4"
Freshman
L/L

Players Mentioned

Derek Cagle

#6 Derek Cagle

6' 0"
Senior
R/R
OF
Kyle Gauger

#30 Kyle Gauger

6' 0"
Senior
L/L
P
Christian Hall

#3 Christian Hall

6' 1"
Senior
R/R
P
Sam Holden

#25 Sam Holden

6' 0"
Senior
R/R
IF
Alex Petroski

#21 Alex Petroski

5' 9"
Senior
R/R
SS
Alex Quinones

#24 Alex Quinones

5' 11"
Senior
R/R
C/3B
Trevor Stone

#15 Trevor Stone

5' 11"
Sophomore
R/R
P
Richard Vanden Branden

#4 Richard Vanden Branden

6' 1"
Sophomore
R/R
P
Matt Vold

#23 Matt Vold

6' 0"
Senior
R/R
IF
Seth Wage

#32 Seth Wage

5' 10"
Junior
R/L
OF
Greg Pitts

#11 Greg Pitts

6' 0"
Freshman
R/R
OF
Brady Stocker

#29 Brady Stocker

6' 4"
Freshman
L/L
P