MORRIS, Minn. – Simply stated, the Yellowjacketbaseball team needed a win.
Entering play Saturday, the Yellowjacketshad been scuffling, having lost 11 of their last 13 games, including six games in a row. In that time, the offense has struggled to find its stride as well, having produced just nine runs in those six losses.
Saturday afternoon and evening, things finally came together, and Superior reaped the benefits, winning both ends of a road doubleheader at Minnesota Morris. The Yellowjackets(11-15, 4-4 UMAC) took the opener 6-3 before winning the nightcap 17-11.
Game One
Morris jumped on the Yellowjacketsearly in the opener, plating a pair of runs in the bottom of the first inning.
The Yellowjackets cut the deficit in half in the top of the second inning, when
Christian Garcia (Blue Springs, Mo./Blue Springs) hit his third home run of the season, making it 2-1. Garcia's shot to right field tied him for the team lead in round trippers.
In the fourth inning, the Yellowjackets drew even with a two-out rally.
Alex Aguilar (Simi Valley, Calif./Westlake ) reached on an error, went to second on a wild pitch and scored on a
Mike Rodriguez (Chicago, Ill./Gordon Tech) single to center, making it a 2-2 game.
The Yellowjacketstook the lead for the first time in the game in the top of the fifth.
Ryan Castaneda (San Pedro, Calif./Junipero Serra) brought home
Brandon Rolf (Stillwater, Minn./Stillwater Area) on a sacrifice fly, and later in the inning
Bryce Flanagan (Brainerd, Minn./Brainerd) scored on a wild pitch, bringing the score to 4-2.
Rodriguez led off the sixth with a walk. Then, with two outs, Rolf doubled to left field, bringing Rodriguez home to make it 5-2. Morris would get that run back in the bottom of the sixth, and the Yellowjacketlead was back down to two.
The Yellowjacketsgot an insurance run in the ninth. Castaneda singled through the right side and was lifted for pinch runner IduanNater. Naterwould advance to second on a passed ball, and later come home on a Garcia single through the right side, making the final score 6-3.
Rolf, Garcia, and Rodriguez all had two hits to pace the Yellowjacketsoffensively.
Ryan Rodriguez (Chaska, Minn./Chaska) got the start on the mound and got the win, improving to 3-4 on the year. He allowed three runs on 10 hits over seven innings. He walked one and struck out four before giving way to
Matt Tappe (St. Anthony, Minn./St. Anthony Village), who finished things off to earn his second save of the season.
Game Two
The Yellowjacketsdidn't waste any time getting things going in the second game, as Rolf doubled with one out then quickly stole third. He came in to score on a Morris error to give the 'Jackets a 1-0 lead before the Cougars came to bat. But in the bottom of the inning, Morris also got the start it wanted, scoring twice to move in front 2-1.
Sam McNosky (Minneapolis, Minn./DeLaSalle)got a big second inning started with a one-out single. Rodriguez followed with another single and
Nick Fredrikson (Minneapolis, Minn./St. Anthony Village)walked to load the bases. Rolf cleared the bases, stroking a double to right and putting the Yellowjacketsback in front.
Bryce Flanagan (Brainerd, Minn./Brainerd) followed Rolf's double with a triple of his own, plating another run. Flanagan then scored the fifth run of the inning on a sacrifice fly, and when all was said and done the 'Jackets led Morris 6-2.
In the third, the Yellowjackets grew their lead.
Isaac Fugere (Duluth, Minn./Duluth East)reached on a wild pitch after striking out, and McNoskyreached after being hit by a pitch. Both runners moved up on a wild pitch and then scored on a Rodriguez double. Two hitters later Rodriguez came across the plate and the Yellowjacketsled 9-2.
Garcia led off the fourth inning with a single and went to third on a
Nick Shea (Pengilly, Minn./Greenway) double. Garcia would come in to score on a wild pitch, and Shea crossed home on a Fugeresingle. Later in the inning Rodriguez reached on an error, bringing Fugerehome, and the Yellowjacketlead bulged to 12-2.
Morris cut into the Yellowjacketlead with a three-run fifth inning, but the Yellowjacketsanswered in the top of the sixth, scoring three times on a
Nick Zezulka (St. Anthony, Minn./St. Anthony Village)three-run home run to left field, making it a 15-5 game.
With a double-digit lead, the Yellowjackets looked to be ahead comfortably heading to the bottom of the seventh, but Morris didn't go away. The Cougars scored four times in the frame, cutting the Yellowjacket lead to 15-9, and making things much more interesting.
Zezulka led off the eighth with a single and Rolf reached on an error to get another Yellowjacket rally started. Zezulkascored on a Flanagan single, and Rolf came in on a wild pitch, giving the Yellowjacketsa 17-9 lead.
Morris added a single run in the eighth, then threatened in the ninth, loading the bases with one out, but Tappe came on to hold the Cougars to just one run in the inning, nail down the final two outs, and give the Yellowjackets a 17-11 win.
Rolf and Flanagan each had big games in the nightcap, each finishing with four hits. The Yellowjackets had 18 hits in the game. Rolf also scored three runs and drove in three. Fugere and Rodriguez also scored three runs each.
Elliott Danhoff got the start and went four innings, allowing five runs on four hits to go along with seven walks and seven strikeouts.
Dante Bender (Gurney, Wis./Hurley) came on in relief and provided two scoreless innings to earn the win, improving to 2-0 on the year.
Next up for the Yellowjackets is a road doubleheader with St. Scholastica Wednesday, April 28. The first pitch from Wade Stadium in Duluth is set for 1:30 p.m.
