NEW ULM, Minn. – It's been a bit of a hard-luck start to the 2021 season for the Yellowjacket softball team. Numerous games have been postponed in the early going, including six of the team's last eight scheduled contests.
 
Among the postponements were doubleheaders scheduled for both last Saturday and Sunday, meaning the Yellowjackets were a well-rested bunch heading into Wednesday's non-conference doubleheader at Martin Luther.
 
The Yellowjackets scored in bunches early in both games and came home with a pair of victories, sneaking by Martin Luther 4-2 in game one before having an easier time in the second game of the doubleheader, beating the Knights 16-7 in six innings.
 
Game One
The Yellowjackets got a strong pitching performance in the opener, as Tayler Kraemer (Spring Green, Wis./Wisconsin Heights) allowed two runs on eight hits to pick up the complete game victory. It didn't hurt that the Yellowjackets got to Martin Luther's starter early, building a lead.

In the top of the first Olivia Bancroft-Hart (Cambria, Wis./Cambria-Friesland) reached on a fielder's choice, went to second on a wild pitch and moved to third when Tiffany Kirk (McHenry, Ill./McHenry East) reached on an error. Kirk then stole second to put two runners in scoring position. Kaela Kramer followed with a single, bringing in Bancroft-Hart to open the scoring.
 
The Yellowjackets again had two runners in scoring position when Kirk scored on a groundout. Then, with two outs, Davriana Horvath (Esko, Minn./Esko) singled up the middle, scoring Kraemer, and it was 3-0 Yellowjackets after one.
 
Kaileigh Miller (Superior, Wis./Superior Senior) reached base in the bottom of the second on a fielder's choice, then stole second to move into scoring position. She came around to score on a triple by Bancroft-Hart, pushing the Yellowjacket lead to 4-0.
 
That was it for the Yellowjackets offensively, but it was more than enough for Kraemer and the defense.
 
The Knights plated a pair of runs in the bottom of the fifth, but it was too little, too late and the Yellowjackets earned the win.
 
In addition to picking up her sixth win of the year in the circle, Tayler Kraemer (Spring Green, Wis./Wisconsin Heights) also led the Yellowjacket attack at at the plate, going 2-for-4. The Yellowjackets had six hits in the game.
 
Game Two
In the second game, it was the Knights who jumped out early, as they scored four times in the bottom of the first inning.
 
The Yellowjackets had an answer in the top of the second inning, however.
 
Kaela Kraemer (Spring Green, Wis./Wisconsin Heights) and Bryton Kukowski (Duluth, Minn./Hermantown) started the inning with back-to-back doubles, getting the Yellowjackets on the board. Kukowski advanced to third on a wild pitch and Horvath followed with a walk to put runners on the corners. Horvath stole second and Kukowski came home on an error with the second Yellowjacket run. Horvath later came home on a sacrifice fly, pulling the Yellowjackets to within one at 4-3.
 
Martin Luther added another run in the second, but the Yellowjackets took the lead for good, blowing the game open in the top of the third.
 
Kirk got it started with a one-out single, and she would come around on a Kaela Kraemer (Spring Green, Wis./Wisconsin Heights) double. Kraemer would score when Kukowski reached and advanced to second on an error. She would advance to third on a wild pitch and score when Horvath singled to left, putting the Yellowjackets in front 6-5.
 
The hits kept coming as Hailee Melgeorge (Superior, Wis./Superior Senior) singled up the middle to put two runners on, and both would move up a base on a wild pitch. Melgeorge and Horvath would score when Maddy Vavrosky (Duluth, Minn./Duluth East) doubled to left center field, making it 8-5 Yellowjackets. Vavrosky would score later when Kirk singled.

In total, the Yellowjackets would send 12 hitters to the plate and score six times to take a 9-5 lead.
 
The Yellowjackets would tack on another run in the fourth as Horvath scored on an error. In the fifth Melgeorge came up with the bases loaded and drove in two more runs with a single up the middle. Vavrosky followed with a single through the left side, and the Yellowjackets were up 12-5.
 
In the top of the sixth the Yellowjackets put the Knights on the ropes, scoring four more times. Bancroft-Hart started the rally with a one-out triple then scored on a wild pitch. Kirk walked and came all the way in to score on a Kaela Kraemer (Spring Green, Wis./Wisconsin Heights) triple. Kukowski brought Kraemer in with an infield single, then she scored the final run of the day for the Yellowjackets on a Melgeorge single.
 
The Knights scored twice in the bottom of the sixth, but it wasn't enough to keep the run rule from being enforced, and the Yellowjackets completed the sweep, 16-7.
 
Melgeorge and Vavrosky paced the offense in the second game with four hits each. Melgeorge also drove in three runs, while Kukowski and Kaela Kraemer (Spring Green, Wis./Wisconsin Heights) each drove in two.

Malania Madill (Canyon, Minn./South Ridge) got the start in the circle and earned the win, improving to 4-2 on the year. She allowed seven runs on 10 hits in the complete game victory.
 
The Yellowjackets will be at Minnesota Morris Saturday, April 17 for a UMAC doubleheader. The first pitch is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.