MORRIS, Minn. – The UW-Superior softball team closed its regular-season slate with a sweep at Minnesota Morris, winning the first game, 3-0, and the second, 5-3, on Friday.
 
The wins move the Yellowjackets to 17-17 overall and 14-2 in the UMAC to earn the second seed in the upcoming conference tournament. Morris falls to 16-20 and 6-10 in the league, and is the five seed.
 
Junior right-hander Ashley Taipale (Duluth, Minn./Denfeld) spun a gem in the opener, scattering four hits and no walks in her 12th complete game of the season. Taipale (7-7) allowed just one runner to reach third base in the game.
 
Amber Yoch (North Branch, Minn./North Branch Area) gave Superior a 1-0 edge with a lead off homer run to right-center field in the third. 
 
The 'Jackets added two more in the fifth with two outs. Emily Carpenter (St. Peter, Minn./St. Peter) coaxed a walk and scored on a Tiffany Kirk (McHenry, Ill./McHenry East) double to center field. Then, Alayna Tulip (Arcadia, Wis./Arcadia) singled to center, scoring Kirk.
 
Taipale retired six of the final seven Cougars in the sixth and seventh to ensure the shutout, her fourth of the season.
 
Madison Langrehr(1-2) took the loss in the circle for Minnesota Morris. She pitched five innings, allowing five hits, three runs and a walk.
 
The 'Jackets scored two runs in each of the first two innings of the second game to take a 4-0 lead. The first three batters of the game reached. With runners on first and second and no one out, Taipale doubled to the gap to in right-center field to score both Amanda Kishish (St. Francis, Minn./St. Francis) and Tulip. 
 
In the second inning, Yoch singled and stole second base. Carpenter then reached on a fielding error at first and Yoch scampered home for a 3-0 lead. With one out, Kishish and Tulip singled, loading the bases. Taipale then hit a sac fly on the infield, plating Carpenter.
 
Taipale made it 5-0 with an RBI double in the top of the fourth. Morris got on the board with one in the bottom of the inning off of Damara Theis (Shakopee, Minn./Shakopee) (5-6). The Cougars scored two more in the fifth on consecutive RBI hits by Kallie Wycoff and Marissa Allen.
 
Theis surrendered seven hits, three runs and a walk in five innings before giving way to Kishish, who shut down UMM. She allowed only two hits, pitching the final two innings, for her first save of the season.
 
Kishish finished 3-for-4 with a stolen base and two runs scored at the plate.
 
Mollie Dummer (7-7) went the distance for the Cougars in the circle, taking the loss.