The annual spring trip kicked off in Fort Myers, Florida for the 2018 Yellowjacket softball team Saturday morning. Before the clock hit noon, two games were in the books and the Yellowjackets finished the day 1-1 in Fort Myers.
Knox 6, Yellowjackets 0
After three scoreless innings Knox blew the game open in the bottom of the fourth inning, using a pair of hit batters and a walk in the first three hitters to load the bases. By the time the inning was done the Prairie Fire opened up a 4-0 lead. Knox added single runs in the bottom of the fifth and sixth innings to make the final margin 6-0.
Macy Hanson (Grantsburg, Wis./Grantsburg) started in the circle for the Yellowjackets and threw three hitless innings while striking out five before being relieved by
Damara Theis (Shakopee, Minn./Shakopee). Theis took the loss and fell to 0-3 on the year, allowing six runs on four hits. She had a pair of strikeouts in her three innings in the circle.
The Yellowjackets outhit the Prairie Fire 7-to-4 in the game, led by
Bobbi Jean Miller (Oak Grove, Minn./St. Francis) who had a pair of singles.
Yellowjackets 8, Castleton State 0
The offense came alive for the Yellowjackets in the second game. Propelled by some shoddy Castleton State defense, the Yellowjackets coupled three hits with three Spartan errors to put five runs on the board.
Katie White (Pequot Lakes, Minn./Pequot Lakes) and
Saige Patrick (Steinbach, Man./St. Mary's Academy) had run-scoring singles while
Gabby Gidley (Superior, Wis./Superior) plated a run with a sacrifice fly in the big inning.
In the second the Yellowjackets tacked on two more, getting a run when
Alayna Tulip (Arcadia, Wis./Arcadia) reached on an error and another on a single by Patrick.
From there Hanson was in charge. The senior hurler was again dominant in the circle, allowing five hits in five innings. She issued one walk and struck out 12, cruising to the win and evening her record for the year at 3-3.
At the plate
Maggie Cragg (Champlin, Minn./Champlin Park) went 3-for-3 and scored a pair of runs. Patrick and Miller added two hits apiece to help pace the Yellowjackets' 10-hit attack.
Ciarra Stavang (Duluth, Minn./Denfeld ) also scored a pair of runs in the game.
Up Next: The Yellowjackets (3-7, 0-0 UMAC) get another crack at Knox, as the two teams will meet at 10:00 a.m. Sunday. Shortly after that game's completion the Yellowjackets will take on North Central College out of Illinois in their second game of the day.
