NAPLES, Fla. – The spring trip is winding down for the Yellowjacket softball team. Following its only off day of the trip to Florida, the Yellowjackets were back on the diamond Wednesday, taking on William Paterson and Wilmington on the second-last day of competition.
 
Coming off a 3-1 loss to New York University Monday, the Yellowjackets dropped their second straight, falling to William Paterson by an identical 3-1 score, before rebounding with a 6-5 win over Wilmington.
 
The Yellowjackets now stand at 8-4 overall with two games remaining before they return to Superior.
 
Game One
It was tough sledding for the Yellowjackets in the opener, as they mustered just three hits against William Paterson pitcher Jaelynn Miller. Miller shut down the Yellowjackets in a way that has only happened one other time this season.
 
Matching Miller nearly frame-for-frame was Yellowjacket starter Tayler Kraemer (Spring Green, Wis./Wisconsin Heights). The junior hurler allowed three runs on six hits while striking out six in six innings. She went the distance and was tagged with the loss, falling to 3-3 on the year.

The Yellowjackets opened the scoring in the top of the second when Ellie Macal (Winona, Minn./Cotter) doubled to right-center field with one out. Bryton Kukowski (Duluth, Minn./Hermantown) followed with a single down the right field line, scoring Macal, and putting the Yellowjackets in front, 1-0.

Unfortunately, that was the extent of the scoring for the Yellowjackets. They weren't able to mount any threats the rest of the way.
 
William Paterson scored all three of their runs in the bottom of the third inning, with the big blow being a two-run single by Carly McDaniel.
 
Zoe Thomson (Le Sueur, Minn./Le Sueur-Henderson) had the other hit for the Yellowjackets, picking up a double in the top of the sixth inning.
 
Game Two
The Yellowjacket bats came to life in the second game Wednesday, as they pounded out 12 hits and snapped their two-game losing streak in walk-off fashion.
 
With the score tied 5-5 heading into the bottom of the seventh, Kraemer led off with a single and advanced to third on Tiffany Kirk's (McHenry, Ill./McHenry East) sacrifice bunt. Thomson followed with a single to right, driving in the game-winning run.
 
Wilmington opened the scoring, posting a three-spot in the top of the second inning. The Quakers added another run in the top of the third to pull ahead 4-0.
 
The Yellowjackets answered in the bottom of the third. Morgan Young (Blaine, Minn./Blaine) and MyKenzie Leccia (Somerset, Wis./Somerset) started the inning with back-to-back bunt singles, and both scored on Kirk's single to left, cutting the Wilmington lead in half.
 
In the bottom of the fifth the Yellowjackets pulled in front. Leccia again reached on the bunt and Kraemer singled to left. Kirk followed with a double, scoring both runners to tie the game, 4-4. Two hitters later Kirk came home on a Jenna Hoops (Woodbury, Minn./Visitation School) single, giving the Yellowjackets the 5-4 lead.
 
Wilmington came back and tied it in the top of the seventh, adding a two-out run to make it 5-5, and setting the stage for the Yellowjackets to walk the game off.
 
Kraemer went 3-for-4 at the plate, while Kirk, Hoops and Leccia each had two hits. Kirk was productive in the clutch, driving in four of the six runs for the Yellowjackets.
 
Making her second start of the day, Kraemer again went the distance, allowing five runs (four earned) on eight hits over seven innings. She walked four and struck out seven to improve to 4-3 on the season.
 
The Yellowjackets will close out their play in the 33rd Annual Gene Cusic Collegiate Classic with a pair of games Thursday. They will take on Rutgers-Newark (N.J.)  at 8 a.m. before playing Saint Elizabeth of Morristown, N.J. at 10 a.m.