Bethany Lutheran 11, UW-Superior 9 | Bethany Lutheran 5, UW-Superior 4
SUPERIOR, Wis. (April 19, 2018) – The Yellowjackets fell in two close games Thursday morning and afternoon, succumbing to the Bethany Lutheran Vikings.
Game 1
The Vikings scored the first run of the game in the bottom of the first, but Superior bounced back in the following two innings. Braeden Barr (San Diego, Calif./Grossmount) would find home after a fielder's choice to Alex Osness (Wausau, Wis./Wausau West), and then Matthew Boyde (Chanhassen, Minn./Minnetonka) scored on an error from the Viking second baseman. Superior was up 2-1 after two innings.
Cory Albertson (Stillwater, Minn./Stillwater) took the plate in the bottom of the third and blasted a ball over the left-center wall to bring home Barr who singled earlier in the inning. It was 4-3 'Jackets.
Bethany Lutheran had a big fourth, bringing in four runs on a home run followed by a Superior error. Superior found their mojo in the bottom of the fourth, scoring three runs on RBIs from Brandon Rolf (Stillwater, Minn./Stillwater) and Greg Pitts (Chicago, Ill./Mount Carmel) to make it 7-7.
The Vikings hit another homer in the top of the sixth inning to take a two-run lead, and then two more in the eighth to go up 11-8. The Yellowjackets added a run in the bottom seventh when Spencer Lawniczak (Pulaski, Wis./Pulaski) homered to left, and then in the bottom of the eighth Nick McNosky (Minneapolis, Minn./DeLaSalle) singled up the middle to bring Osness home. The 'Jackets couldn't find another run in the game, falling 11-9.
Game 2
Ryan Rodriguez (Chaska, Minn./Chaska) got off to a good start in the top of the first, tossing three strikeouts. Boyde then followed that up with a two-run double to make it 2-0 'Jackets after the first inning.
C. Albertson continued to hit well, smashing the ball to dead-center field in the top of the third, helping Superior to a 3-1 lead after four. The Vikings would fire back in the fifth, tying at 3-3 after two hits, but Superior secured a one-run lead in the bottom of the inning when Tyler Evans (Andover, Minn./Andover) scored on a C. Albertson sacrifice hit to second.
The game would stay knotted at 4-3 'Jackets through the top of the ninth inning when the Vikings scored two to take a 5-4 lead.
The Yellowjackets only saw three chances in the bottom of the ninth, falling in another close game, 5-4.
C. Albertson had three hits and five RBI on the day, while Barr went 3-of-8 at the plate. R. Rodriguez had a solid outing in the second game, pitching seven innings and striking out nine batters.
Up Next
Superior (1-17, 0-4 UMAC) will play tomorrow night when they travel to Northwestern for a 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. doubleheader against the Eagles.