SUPERIOR, Wis.: Coming on the heels of a Monday sweep over Martin Luther where the run rule was invoked in both games, the Yellowjacket softball team was back on its home turf Tuesday afternoon playing host to Northland with the hopes of keeping pace with Bethany Lutheran atop the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference standings and extending their winning streak.

Mission accomplished.

For the second day in a row the Yellowjackets (13-15, 10-0 UMAC) had some big innings at the plate and got the job done on defense to roll past Northland for a pair of victories at the NBC Spartan Sports Complex, and in the process extend their winning streak to 10 games.

Game 1
Things started slowly for the Yellowjackets in the opening game Tuesday, as Northland pitcher Remi Orr shut them down in the early going. With the game scoreless through three innings, Northland plated the first run of the game in the top of the fourth inning to move ahead.

The Yellowjackets answered in the bottom of the fourth, scoring three times with two outs. Bailey Armstrong (Scandia, Minn/Forest Lake) got it started, driving the first pitch she saw over the fence in left field to tie the game. Two batters later Amber Yoch (North Branch, Minn./North Branch Area) continued her hot hitting, driving a ball to the gap in right center to put the Yellowjackets ahead. She would come around to score the third run of the inning when Amelia Leger (Andover, Minn./Andover) doubled to left.

Northland got back to within a run in the top of the fifth, but the Yellowjackets answered with another big inning to put the game away. Ashley Taipale (Duluth, Minn./Denfeld) led off with a single and moved up a base when Gabby Gidley (Superior, Wis./Superior) walked. For the second time in the game Bailey Kinnunen (Grand Rapids, Minn./Grand Rapids) was hit by a pitch, this time loading the bases. Yoch followed with a single to move everyone up a base and increase the Yellowjacket lead. Another run scored when Emily Carpenter (St. Peter, Minn./St. Peter) reached on a fielding error, making it 5-2. Three walks and another error plated four more runs to put the Yellowjackets on the brink of a victory. They got the win when Gidley reached on a fielder's choice and Tiffany Kirk (McHenry, Ill./McHenry East) scored to make it 10-2 and invoke the run rule.

Taipale and Yoch led the way for the Yellowjackets at the plate with two hits apiece.

Damara Theis (Shakopee, Minn./Shakopee) got the start in the circle for the Yellowjackets and got the win, improving to 3-6 on the year. She gave up two runs (one earned) on five hits in 4.2 innings.

Game 2
In the second game the Yellowjackets didn't waste any time jumping on the Lumberjills, putting together a big first inning to put the game out of reach early.

Kirk led off the game with a double and scored on a ground out to break the ice. Later in the inning Carpenter plated a pair of runs with a single to center field to give the Yellowjackets a 5-0 lead. As the Yellowjackets batted around in the inning the big hit came courtesy of Taipale, who blasted her fourth home run of the season, a three-run shot to make it 10-0.

Northland would get their only run of the game in the top of the third, but the Yellowjackets had an answer in the bottom of the inning. Carpenter started the inning with a walk and she would come around to score when Hayley Lathrop (Hill City, Minn./Hill City) doubled to right center. Davriana Horvath (Esko, Minn./Esko) followed with a single to left, scoring Brianna McGrath (Two Harbors, Minn./Two Harbors) to increase the Yellowjacket cushion to 11 at 12-1.

That was more than enough for Amanda Kishish (St. Francis, Minn./St. Francis), who cruised to her fifth win of the season, hurling a complete game, allowing one run on just three hits. She struck out six to improve her record to 5-3.

Nine Yellowjackets had hits in the second came, led by Tulip, Kinnunen, and Yoch who all had a pair.

The Yellowjackets will close out the home portion of their regular season schedule Saturday, April 20 when they host North Central at the NBC Spartan Sports Complex.