The UW-Superior baseball team has had a tough time closing out games in the early stages of the 2017 season. The late-inning struggles continued for the Yellowjackets Thursday, as Grinnell College scored four times in the bottom of the eighth inning, giving them more than enough separation to gain the 7-3 win at the Kino Sports Complex in Tucson, Ariz.

The loss spoiled strong start by freshman right hander Austin Miller (Harrison, Ohio/William Henry Harrison H.S.), who made his first collegiate start and scattered five hits over seven innings, earning a no decision.

Grinnell opened the scoring, manufacturing a run in the bottom of the first inning. The Yellowjackets countered, scoring twice in the top of the second, getting an RBI single to left field from Colin Welch (Acton, Calif./Golden Valley H.S.) and a run-scoring double down the right field line from Kyle Bellin (Kimberly, Wis./Kimberly H.S.). Grinnell would get a run back in the bottom of the inning and the teams were tied 2-2 after two innings.

In the top of the fourth the Yellowjackets regained the lead. Matthew Boyde (Chanhassen, Minn./Minnetonka H.S.) led off the inning with a single and went to third on a single by Nik Mattson (Superior, Wis./Superior H.S.). Welch earned his second RBI of the game when he brought home Boyde on a sacrifice fly, moving the Yellowjackets ahead 3-2.

The Pioneers tied the game in the fifth and then threatened to go ahead in the seventh, but Miller pitched out of a jam, thanks in part to a 6-4-3 double play that ended the inning.

With one out in the eighth inning the Pioneers came alive, stringing together a single, a hitter reaching on an error, three walks and a double to score four runs and take a 7-3 lead.

Grinnell made a pitching change in the ninth inning and put the Yellowjackets away, retiring three of the four hitters that came to the plate in the inning, closing out the game.

The Yellowjackets (1-5) had seven hits in the game, led by Bellin and Boyde who had two hits apiece.

Miller allowed three runs (two earned) and walked six in his seven innings of work. He was relieved by Trevor Roszczewski (Minocqua, Wis./Lakeland Union H.S.), who pitched the eighth inning and was tagged with the loss, falling to 0-1 on the season.

Up Next
The Yellowjackets will play a pair of games Friday, taking on Allegheny College for the third time on the trip, followed by a game against Hamline University. The first pitched is scheduled for 9:00 a.m. MT