The University of Wisconsin Superior could not even the season series with Manchester University as the Spartans knocked off the Yellowjackets 8-2 in the team's final stop in southwest Florida. The two teams met at City of Palms Park after competing in exhibition action against the home SouthWestern Florida State College earlier in the day. The Yellowjackets fell 2-0 to the Buccaneers.
UW-Superior (7-8) fell behind in the third inning as Manchester (7-9-1) slugger Lauren Ladwig wrapped a home run around the left field foul pole, giving the Spartans an early lead. A pair of errors by the Yellowjacket outfield helped scrape an unearned run across later in the inning. Manchester opened the fourth with three straight singles, bringing another run across on an RBI groundout. Third baseman Kate Skeens followed that up with a ground rule double, and another single brought her home, as the Spartans totalled four runs on six hits in the inning.
Senior outfielder
Shelby Gerken (Baraboo, Wis./Baraboo H.S.) singled in the fifth inning to start UW-Superior's rally. After reaching on a fielder's choice, senior outfielder
Traci Popple (Jim Falls, Wis./Cornell H.S.) stole second. Junior infielder
Katie White (Pequot Lakes, Minn./Pequot Lakes H.S.) followed with a walk, and the duo would each score on a double by junior outfielder
Saige Patrick (Steinbach, Man./St. Mary's Academy). After a single by first-year outfielder
Maggie Cragg (Champlin, Minn./Champlin Park H.S.), Manchester pulled starting pitcher Madisyn Walter after 4.2 innings, having allowed two earned on five hits while striking out three. Reliever Tristyn Koon shut the door on the Yellowjackets the rest of the way, allowing just two hits in 2.1 innings.
Two singles and a steal helped Manchester add another run to its lead leading off the sixth inning, and an error on the UWS infield kept the rally going ahead of a sacrifice fly to give the Spartans back their six-run cushion, one they'd maintain the rest of the way. Senior right-hander
Sarah Hendrickson (Duluth, Minn./Denfeld H.S.) allowed six earned on 15 hits, striking out three on the afternoon. Patrick and Gerken each had two hits against Manchester. Patrick, sophomore catcher
Gabby Gidley (Superior, Wis./Superior H.S.), and first-year infielder
Bailey Kinnunen (Grand Rapids, Minn./Grand Rapids H.S.) each had one hit against Florida SouthWestern earlier on Friday.
UP NEXT
UW-Superior will open Upper Midwest Athletic Conference play next Saturday, with the Yellowjackets traveling to Martin Luther College in a doubleheader on the road in New Ulm, Minnesota. Opening pitch is set for 1 p.m., weather permitting.
