SUPERIOR, Wis. -- Zoe Kinakin doubled to left field with two outs in the third inning, scoring Elizabeth Chizek and No. 3 Bethany Lutheran held off the top-seeded UW-Superior softball team, 1-0, to win the 2022 Upper Midwest Athletic Conference Championship at NBC Spartan Sports Complex Saturday.
 
The Yellowjackets had a chance to tie the game in the top of the seventh when Bryton Kukowski (Duluth, Minn./Hermantown) doubled to right-center field with one out and pinch runner Evelyn Thomton (East Bethel, Minn./Centennial) moved to third on a wild pitch. However, Jessica Jacobson (Sturgeon Bay, Wis./Southern Door) rapped in a double play on a bouncer to third base to end the game.
 
Bethany Lutheran right-handed pitcher Kayla Senne limited UWS to four hits and a walk, earning the complete-game victory. She struck out three while improving to 17-10 overall. Senne earned tournament MVP honors, going 3-0 with an 0.53 ERA and two complete games.
 
Bethany Lutheran (29-14) tallied its run as Chizek singled off of right-hander Tayler Kraemer's (Spring Green, Wis./Wisconsin Heights) glove and stole second before Kinakin lined a full-count offering over Jacobson's head in left.
 
That was one of only three hits Kraemer surrendered in her 21st complete game of the season. She did not issue a walk and fanned three in falling to 20-7. She retired the Vikings in order in the first, fourth fifth and sixth innings. 
 
Kukowski finished 2-for-3 with the seventh-inning double, while freshmen Zoe Thomson (Le Sueur, Minn./Le Sueur-Henderson) and Ellie Macal (Winona, Minn./Cotter) picked up singles Kraemer also drew a walk in the top of the first.
 
The Yellowjackets' season comes to a close at 33-10 overall, just one win shy of the school record set in 2004.