SUPERIOR, Wis. – When the 2022 schedule was released, the Yellowjacket baseball team was supposed to meet Northland College for the first time, on the road, Mar. 29. Well, like most things this spring, that didn't go according to plan.
 
After a change in sites and several rescheduling attempts, the Yellowjackets and LumberJacks finally met Tuesday, nearly a month after the meeting was first scheduled. Morning snowflakes gave way, but the cold temperatures did not, and the 'Jackets and 'Jacks were forced to fight through the elements and play two.
 
And it wasn't easy, but in the end the Yellowjackets got it done, coming from behind twice to defeat Northland 9-8 in 11 innings in the opener before cruising in the rematch, 9-3.
 
With the wins, the Yellowjackets (11-15, 7-4 UMAC) inched closer to the .500 mark on the year, while continuing their hot play. The 'Jackets have won seven of their past nine games and are firmly planted in the top half of the conference, currently occupying the No. 4 position in the standings with the post-season tournament just a couple weeks away.
 
Game One
Starting pitcher Matt Tappe (St. Anthony, Minn./St. Anthony Village), who has been rock solid in 2022 got roughed up early, as Northland scored six times in the top of the first inning. The Yellowjackets plated a single run in the bottom of the third when Nick Fredrikson (Minneapolis, Minn./St. Anthony Village) scored on a Ben Rhodes (Superior, Wis./Superior Senior) double.
 
Northland scored single runs in the fourth and fifth innings to lead 8-1 before the Yellowjackets began to claw their way back.
 
With one out and runners on the corners in the bottom of the sixth, Isaac Fugere (Duluth, Minn./Duluth East) singled to left, scoring Jordan Trimble (Victorville, Calif./Grandview (Colo.)) to begin the comeback. Pinch runner Iduan Nater (Arecibo, Puerto Rico/Vocacional Antonio Lucchetti) came around to score on a Bryce Flanagan (Brainerd, Minn./Brainerd Senior) double. Nick Shea (Pengilly, Minn./Greenway) followed with a single to left that scored both Fugere and Flanagan, and the 'Jackets were in business. Jonny Rhodes (Superior, Wis./Superior Senior) followed with a triple to the gap in left center, and by the time the inning ended it was a whole, new game as the Yellowjackets trailed by just two at 8-6.
 
In the bottom of the eighth inning the first two hitters reached and both moved into scoring position after a sacrifice. Nick Fredrikson (Minneapolis, Minn./St. Anthony Village) pulled the Yellowjackets to within one, plating Flanagan on a ground out, making it 8-7.
 
In the bottom of the ninth Flanagan did more damage, singling up the middle to bring home Payton Steiner (Baraboo, Wis./Baraboo), tying the score at 8-8 and forcing extra innings.
 
It stayed tied into the bottom of the 11th inning when the Yellowjackets completed the comeback. Steiner led off with a walk and following a pair of outs stole second. Flanagan was walked intentionally, bringing Shea to the plate with the winning run on second. He grounded to third, but the Northland fielder threw the ball away, allowing Steiner to score the winning run for the Yellowjackets.
 
Flanagan had a great game, going 3-for-4, scoring twice and driving in two. Ben Rhodes (Superior, Wis./Superior Senior) also had three hits to pace the Yellowjacket attack, which had 13 hits in the game.
 
Tappe went five innings, allowing eight runs on eight hits. He walked five and struck out four. Ethan Coady (Toronto, Ontario/Etobicoke School of the Arts) came in and shut down Northland, throwing 4.1 scoreless, hitless innings. In the 10th Jack Rheineck (St. Louis Park, Minn./Benilde-St. Margaret's School) came on and he would eventually pick up the win, going 1.2 innings and striking out two without allowing a run or a hit. His record improved to 2-2 on the year.

Game Two
The second game Tuesday again saw Northland start fast, scoring a run in the top of the first.
 
In the bottom of the inning the Yellowjackets answered to take the lead. A one-out dropped fly ball put Ben Rhodes (Superior, Wis./Superior Senior) on third and he came home to tie the game on a single up the middle by Steiner. Steiner then stole second and came in on a single to left by Fugere to put the Yellowjackets in front, 2-1.
 
Northland regained the lead with a two-run third inning, but again the Yellowjackets had a quick answer. Ben Rhodes (Superior, Wis./Superior Senior) led off with a single up the middle and scored on a triple by Steiner to tie the score. Flanagan followed with a bat-flip worthy blast over the fence in left center, making 5-2. Later in the inning Shea scored on a Sam McNosky (Minneapolis, Minn./DeLaSalle) double to put the Yellowjackets up 6-3.
 
Jordan Trimble (Victorville, Calif./Grandview (Colo.)) led off the sixth with a triple and scored on a sacrifice fly to increase the lead. In the bottom of the seventh Steiner reached on an error with one out, stole second, moved to third on a Flanagan infield single and scored on a Fugere single to make it 8-3.

The 'Jackets closed out the scoring in the bottom of the eight when McNosky, who led off the inning with a single, scored on a Ben Rhodes (Superior, Wis./Superior Senior) single to left center, making the final score 9-3.
 
Steiner led the charge for the Yellowjackets at the plate, going 3-for-5 and scoring three times while driving in two. Ben Rhodes (Superior, Wis./Superior Senior), Flanagan, Fugere and McNosky had two hits apiece in the game for the Yellowjackets, who had 14 as a team.
 
Flanagan got the start on the mound and went the distance, throwing 154 pitches to pick up his first win of the season. He is now 1-2 on the year. He allowed three runs, two earned on nine hits to go along with 10 strikeouts.
 
Next up for the Yellowjackets is a date with North Central Friday, Apr. 29. The first pitch is set for 3 p.m. at the NBC Spartan Sports Complex.