DULUTH, Minn.: Last weekend the Yellowjacket softball team opened conference play and was triumphant in a pair of home contests against Crown. Wednesday afternoon the 'Jackets stayed in Upper Midwest Athletic Conference play, with the stakes being higher this time around.

It was rivalry day.

The Yellowjackets took the short trip across the bridge and up the hill to take on defending conference champion St. Scholastica. The Yellowjackets and the Saints were among the teams tied for the early-season lead in the conference, and entering play Wednesday the Yellowjackets were determined to stay there.

Riding the arm and bat of Ashley Taipale (Duluth, Minn./Denfield) the Yellowjackets pulled off the sweep, taking the first game 2-0 before rallying to complete the sweep in extra innings with a 4-3 win. The Yellowjackets (7-15, 4-0 UMAC) are now in sole possession of first place in the conference following the two crucial victories.

Game 1
Taipale was masterful in the opener for the Yellowjackets, hurling a no-hitter as she and the Yellowjackets gained the win. The contest was a classic pitcher's duel, as St. Scholastica's Maggie Schley nearly matched Taipale scoreless frame for scoreless frame.

It was a scoreless game through four innings before the Yellowjackets finally broke through. With two on and one out in the top of the fifth, Taipale got the green light on a 3-0 count and drove a single to center field, scoring Tiffany Kirk (McHenry, Ill./McHenry East) to give the Yellowjackets the lead. Two batters later Gabby Gidley (Superior, Wis./Superior) drove home Alayna Tulip (Arcadia, Wis./Arcadia) with a single to right field to give the Yellowjackets a 2-0 lead.

That was more than enough for Taipale in this one, as she set the Saints down in order in the fifth and sixth innings. St. Scholastica did get a runner on via a walk in the bottom of the seventh, but Taipale shut the door and preserved her no-hitter. She walked three and struck out six in earning her second win of the seaosn.

The Yellowjackets had six hits in the contest, with Taipale and Tulip leading the way with two apiece.

Game 2
Yellowjacket Head Coach Nick Bursik elected to ride the right arm of Taipale, starting her in the circle for the second game, as well. St. Scholastica, frustrated from start to finish in the opener wasted little time getting some offense going in the second game. Nicole Anders singled to lead off the game and she would score one of two runs in the frame as the Saints moved ahead early.

The Yellowjackets were perseverent, however, and worked their way back into the game. In the top of the second they got a run back on a strange play, earning three bases on an equipment interfernce call to make it 2-1.

St. Scholastica regained the two-run lead in the third when Schley homered to make it 3-1. It stayed that way until the seventh when the Yellowjackets rediscovered their offense. Amber Yoch (North Branch, Minn./North Branch Area) got things started with a leadoff double down the right field line and moved up when Emily Carpenter (St. Peter, Minn./St. Peter) followed with a double of her own to left. Yoch scored on a sacrifice fly by Kirk and two hitters later Taipale tied it with a sacrifice fly.

The game headed to extra innings and the Yellowjackets made short work of the additional time. Bailey Armstrong (Scandia, Minn/Forest Lake) worked a walk and was pinch run for by Briana McGrath. She went to secondon a Bailey Kinnunen (Grand Rapids, Minn./Grand Rapids) single and scored when Kirk doubled down the left field line with two outs to give the Yellowjackets their first lead of the game.

Taipale did the rest, setting the Saints down in the bottom of the eighth, preserving the win and the sweep for the Yellowjackets. She allowed six hits in the game, while walking three and striking out four. Her record on the year now stands at 3-6.

At the dish the Yellowjackets had nine hits, paced by Tulip, Kirk, and Davriana Horvath (Esko, Minn./Esko), who all had two.