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Alex Quinones
Wade Gardner-d3photography.com

Baseball

Big Innings Doom Yellowjackets Again

Alex Quinones had a six-hit day for the Yellowjackets Sunday.
Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

Put simply, big innings have been the death of the Yellowjackets in numerous games in 2015. In each of Saturday's games, the Yellowjackets were plagued by a big inning. Sunday, unfortunately, it was the same song and dance. The Yellowjackets had a couple big innings of their own, but in the end Platteville had more and finished off the weekend sweep of the Yellowjackets, extending their losing streak to 12 games.

Platteville 12, Yellowjackets 11

Platteville jumped out to an early lead, scoring five runs on five hits while batting 11 men in the bottom of the first. With four runs in and the bases loaded, the Yellowjackets made a pitching change, ending the day of starter Grant Schneider (Circle Pines, Minn./Centennial). Jonah Lundequam (Cumberland, Wis./Cumberland) came on in relief and closed out the inning, but the Yellowjackets were down 5-0.

The Yellowjackets got a rally going with two outs in the top of the second. After the first two hitters were retired, Sam Holden (Spooner, Wis./Spooner), Kyle Bellin (Kimberly, Wis./Kimberly) and Nik Mattson (Superior, Wis./Superior Senior) all walked, loading the bases for Damian Wiblin (La Crosse, Wis./Logan). Wiblin was hit by a pitch and Holden scored the first run of the game for the Yellowjackets. They pulled to within 5-2 in the top of the third when Brady Flaherty (Balsam Lake, Wis./Unity) scored on a passed ball with two outs in the inning.

Platteville got those runs back in the bottom of the third and were back up by five, 7-2.

But the Yellowjackets answered with a big inning of their own to claw their way back into the game. With two outs Wiblin singled and Greg Pitts (Chicago, Ill./Mount Carmel) walked. Matt Vold (St. Croix Falls, Wis./St. Croix Falls) followed and reached on an error, scoring Wiblin. Alex Quinones (Waterloo, Iowa) doubled, bringing home two more and the Yellowjackets were within two, 7-5.

Platteville scored once in the bottom of the fifth before the Yellowjackets jumped back to within one. Vold and Quinones started the inning with back-to-back singles. Two batters later Jordan Koepp (Grand Rapids, Minn./Grand Rapids) singled home Vold and it was 8-6. Quinones then scored on a Holden ground out to bring the Yellowjackets to within one.

But once again the big inning bit the Yellowjackets. With one out George Jester struck the pivotal blow, hitting a grand slam to make the score 12-7.

The Yellowjackets weren't done, however, and staged a furious rally in the top of the ninth, and again the lion's share of the work would come with two outs.

With one out Bellin walked. Wiblin was then hit by a pitch for the second time in the game, putting two on with two out. Pitts singled to left, scoring Bellin. Then Vold drew a walk, loading the bases and brining the tying run to the plate. With the bases full Quinones punched a double to right field, clearing the bases and bringing the Yellowjackets to within a run at 12-11. With the tying run at second Flaherty came to the plate, but he was retired on a fly out, ending the game.

The Yellowjackets had 11 hits in the game, led by Quinones, who had a big afternoon, going 4-for-6 with five runs batted in. Koepp also had two hits for the Yellowjackets.

Schneider pitched just 2/3 of an inning, allowing five runs on five hits. He also walked a pair and struck out one. Lundequam pitched the rest of the way, giving up seven runs on eight hits in 7.1 innings. He walked three and struck out five.

Jester and Max Meitzler had three hits each to pace the Pioneers. Riley Vandenberg was the winning pitcher and Trevor Hall got the save.

Platteville 9, Yellowjackets 4

Game two got off to a fast start, with the Yellowjackets taking the early lead.

With one out Vold and Quinones had back-to-back singles and Flaherty followed with his third home run of the year, driving a pitch over the right field wall, giving the Yellowjackets a 3-0 lead. Flaherty is now tied for the team lead in home runs.

But as quickly as the Yellowjackets built the lead, Platteville rallied and took it back.

Yellowjacket starter Jake Lewis (Proctor, Minn./Proctor) ran into control issues in the first, walking four hitters. The Yellowjackets also committed two errors and the Pioneers, who had just one hit, scored four times to move ahead 4-3.

The Yellowjackets tied the game in the top of the third, manufacturing a run. Flaherty was hit by a pitch and Koepp walked. With one out Holden singled to left, scoring Flaherty, evening the game.

Platteville regained the lead in the bottom of the fourth, and again they did it with a big inning. Consecutive hits to start the inning put two runners in scoring position, and again Jester did the damage, homering for the second time on the day to make it 7-4. They added another run to push the lead to four runs after four.

The Pioneers scored the final run of the game in the bottom of the fifth on a home run by Casey Schroeder.

The Yellowjackets finished the game with eight hits, led by Quinones and Bellin who had two hits each. Platteville had 14 hits, with five players having multiple hit games.

Lewis pitched four innings for the Yellowjackets, giving up eight runs (four earned) on ten hits. He had four walks and four strikeouts. Riley Grandson (Duluth, Minn./Duluth East) came on in relief and gave up one earned run on four hits over four innings. He had one walk and three strikeouts.

The Yellowjackets (3-19, 0-8 WIAC) will play a non-conference doubleheader at Northland College Wednesday, April 15. Game time is set for 4:00 p.m.
 
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Players Mentioned

Kyle Bellin

#5 Kyle Bellin

IF
5' 10"
Sophomore
R/R
Brady Flaherty

#10 Brady Flaherty

C
6' 4"
Senior
R/R
Riley Grandson

#27 Riley Grandson

P
5' 11"
Senior
L/L
Sam Holden

#25 Sam Holden

IF
6' 0"
Senior
R/R
Jordan Koepp

#36 Jordan Koepp

IF
6' 2"
Junior
L/R
Jake Lewis

#12 Jake Lewis

P
6' 1"
Junior
R/R
Nik Mattson

#13 Nik Mattson

C/OF
5' 9"
Sophomore
R/R
Alex Quinones

#24 Alex Quinones

C/3B
5' 11"
Senior
R/R
Grant Schneider

#26 Grant Schneider

P
6' 2"
Sophomore
R/R
Matt Vold

#23 Matt Vold

IF
6' 0"
Senior
R/R
Damian Wiblin

#9 Damian Wiblin

P
6' 1"
Senior
L/L
Jonah Lundequam

#7 Jonah Lundequam

P
5' 8"
Freshman
L/L

Players Mentioned

Kyle Bellin

#5 Kyle Bellin

5' 10"
Sophomore
R/R
IF
Brady Flaherty

#10 Brady Flaherty

6' 4"
Senior
R/R
C
Riley Grandson

#27 Riley Grandson

5' 11"
Senior
L/L
P
Sam Holden

#25 Sam Holden

6' 0"
Senior
R/R
IF
Jordan Koepp

#36 Jordan Koepp

6' 2"
Junior
L/R
IF
Jake Lewis

#12 Jake Lewis

6' 1"
Junior
R/R
P
Nik Mattson

#13 Nik Mattson

5' 9"
Sophomore
R/R
C/OF
Alex Quinones

#24 Alex Quinones

5' 11"
Senior
R/R
C/3B
Grant Schneider

#26 Grant Schneider

6' 2"
Sophomore
R/R
P
Matt Vold

#23 Matt Vold

6' 0"
Senior
R/R
IF
Damian Wiblin

#9 Damian Wiblin

6' 1"
Senior
L/L
P
Jonah Lundequam

#7 Jonah Lundequam

5' 8"
Freshman
L/L
P