SUPERIOR, Wis. – Tuesday marked the first home games for the Yellowjacket baseball team since March 21, a day when it finished off a four-game sweep of Northland College, a sweep where the 'Jackets hit 15 homers and scored 62 runs.
 
Since then, the Yellowjackets have faced a rugged non-conference schedule, taking on opponents like nationally-ranked Saint John's, MIAC contender St. Olaf and Twin Ports rival St. Scholastica.
 
Last Monday the Saints jumped out on the Yellowjackets early on the way to a 5-2 victory at Wade Stadium. The series shifted across the bridge Tuesday, with the Saints visiting the Yellowjackets for a second non-conference contest on the young season.
 
It was a pitcher's duel early, but the Saints broke through later in the game, scoring runs in final five innings to take down the Yellowjackets 6-1 at the NBC Spartan Sports Complex.
 
The Yellowjackets (7-9, 0-0 UMAC) had their chances, loading the bases on three occasions, including twice with just one out, but they were only able to plate one run out of those opportunities.
 
Yellowjacket starter Joey Barker (Superior, Wis./Superior Senior) and St. Scholastica starter Jack Perala were dominant early, trading scoreless innings through the first four frames. Barker held the Saints down, facing the minimum number of hitters through three innings without allowing a hit. On the other side, Perala was equally as effective, also not allowing a hit until the fourth inning.
 
St. Scholastica broke through in the top of the fifth inning when Cody Venske took a 2-2 pitch over the fence in right center to make it a 1-0 game. They would add another run on an error and lead 2-0 midway through the game.
 
The Saints would add single runs in the sixth, seventh, and eighth innings to move in front 5-0 before the Yellowjackets broke the ice in the bottom of the eighth.
 
Bryce Flanagan (Brainerd, Minn./Brainerd) reached with a one-out walk, Ryan Castaneda (San Pedro, Calif./Junipero Serra) reached on an error, and Nick Shea (Pengilly, Minn./Greenway) singled sharply to center to load the bases and Flanagan would come in with the only run of the game for the Yellowjackets on a Nick Zezulka (St. Anthony, Minn./St. Anthony Village) single to center, making it 5-1.

St. Schoalstica closed out the scoring with a single run in the ninth, making it 6-1.
 
Shea and Zezulka each had two hits for the Yellowjackets, who finished the game with six.
 
Barker took the loss on the mound for the Yellowjackets, allowing three runs (one earned) on four hits over six innings. He walked two and struck out two. Christian Garcia (Blue Springs, Mo./Blue Springs) pitched the final three innings, allowing three runs (two earned) on five hits.
 
The Yellowjackets are back in action Saturday, April 10 when they host North Central to open UMAC play. Game time is set for 1:30 p.m. at the NBC Spartan Sports Complex.