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University of Wisconsin-Superior Athletics

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Wisconsin-Superior
Yellowjackets
Damian Wiblin
Jade Jensen

Baseball

Yellowjackets Win Big at Northland

Damian Wiblin
Box Score

Yellowjackets 23, Northland 3

To say that the Yellowjacket baseball team has struggled so far in 2015 would be an understatement. The Yellowjackets have struggled pitching, hitting, and on defense at times, and sometimes struggles in two or all three have come in the same game. So they needed a day when something, anything, would go right.

That day came Wednesday.

The Yellowjackets took the one-hour trip east for an afternoon tilt with future-UMAC foe Northland, and the game ended up being the perfect elixir for what ailed the team. Christian Hall (Siren, Wis./Siren) provided a strong pitching performance, the defense was perfect, and the offense exploded for 18 hits and 23 runs as the Yellowjackets trounced Northland 23-3 in Ashland.

With the victory, the Yellowjackets put their 12-game losing streak to bed. They also scored the most runs they have in a game since early last season, when they put up 24 runs in a 24-14 win over Carroll on March 18, 2014.

And they got the scoring started early. In the top of the first Greg Pitts (Chicago, Ill./Mount Carmel) and Matt Vold (St. Croix Falls, Wis./St. Croix Falls) led off with back-to-back singles and Pitts scored on a wild pitch to give the Yellowjackets a 1-0 lead.

In the top of the third Alex Quinones (Waterloo, Iowa) drove in a pair of runs with a two-out double to increase the Yellowjacket lead.

Up three the Yellowjackets broke the game open in the fourth. Damian Wiblin (La Crosse, Wis./Logan) drove in a pair of runs with a one-out double. After a pitching chance Pitts connected for a three-run home run. Vold then walked and advanced around the bases on wild pitches for another run, and when all was said and done the Yellowjackets held a 9-0 lead.

Throughout the season, the Yellowjackets have been plagued by giving up the big inning. They flipped the script Wednesday, delivering a big inning and the knockout blow in the fifth.

With two on and one out Kyle Bellin (Kimberly, Wis./Kimberly) and Seth Wage (Wausau, Wis./Wausau West) delivered back-to-back run-scoring singles. Wiblin then drove in another run with a double. Two more runs came home courtesy of a Northland error. Vold followed with a walk to put runners on the corners, paving the way for a run-scoring single from Quinones. Quinones and Vold each moved into scoring position on a passed ball, and Brady Flaherty (Balsam Lake, Wis./Unity) brought another run home on a single. Two runners then came home when Jordan Koepp (Grand Rapids, Minn./Grand Rapids) doubled, and then Koepp followed, scoring on a double by Bellin. Later in the inning the Yellowjackets loaded the bases, and Vold brought home two more. Northland finally recorded the final out, but not before severe damage was done. The Yellowjackets almost batted around twice, and in their biggest offensive inning of the year plated 12 runs to go ahead 21-0.

Northland got on the board in the bottom of the seventh inning, scoring three times on a Daniel Kollauf home run.

The Yellowjackets finished out the scoring in the top of the ninth inning, getting two runs on a double by Jake Irlbeck (Centerville, Minn./Centennial), making the final score 23-3.

The Yellowjackets got hits from nine different players in the game, including seven players with multi-hit games. Pitts and Bellin led the way, each collecting three hits on the day. Wiblin scored four times in the game, while Pitts, Vold, and Bellin each scored three times.

Hall got the start on the mound and went the distance, giving up three runs on eight hits in nine innings. Hall walked five and struck out 10 to improve to 1-0 on the year.

Northland had eight hits in the game, led by Kollauf who went 2-for-3.

The Yellowjackets (4-19, 0-8 WIAC) will host UW-Oshkosh at Ted Whereatt Field Saturday, April 18 beginning at 12:00 p.m. It will mark the first time the Yellowjackets will have played a home game in Superior since the 2012 season. The game will be streamed live on the Internet through the iFan Sports Network.
 
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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
Christian Hall

#3 Christian Hall

P
6' 1"
Senior
R/R
Jake Irlbeck

#28 Jake Irlbeck

C/3B
6' 0"
Sophomore
R/R
Jordan Koepp

#36 Jordan Koepp

IF
6' 2"
Junior
L/R
Alex Quinones

#24 Alex Quinones

C/3B
5' 11"
Senior
R/R
Matt Vold

#23 Matt Vold

IF
6' 0"
Senior
R/R
Seth Wage

#32 Seth Wage

OF
5' 10"
Junior
R/L
Damian Wiblin

#9 Damian Wiblin

P
6' 1"
Senior
L/L
Greg Pitts

#11 Greg Pitts

OF
6' 0"
Freshman
R/R

Players Mentioned

Kyle Bellin

#5 Kyle Bellin

5' 10"
Sophomore
R/R
IF
Brady Flaherty

#10 Brady Flaherty

6' 4"
Senior
R/R
C
Christian Hall

#3 Christian Hall

6' 1"
Senior
R/R
P
Jake Irlbeck

#28 Jake Irlbeck

6' 0"
Sophomore
R/R
C/3B
Jordan Koepp

#36 Jordan Koepp

6' 2"
Junior
L/R
IF
Alex Quinones

#24 Alex Quinones

5' 11"
Senior
R/R
C/3B
Matt Vold

#23 Matt Vold

6' 0"
Senior
R/R
IF
Seth Wage

#32 Seth Wage

5' 10"
Junior
R/L
OF
Damian Wiblin

#9 Damian Wiblin

6' 1"
Senior
L/L
P
Greg Pitts

#11 Greg Pitts

6' 0"
Freshman
R/R
OF