MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – Baseball. The leisurely game that's played without a clock. It's a game that, quite literally could go on forever. There's no time limit in baseball.
 
Until there is.
 
Monday, the Yellowjacket baseball team finally opened its season, scheduled to play a pair of seven-inning games against Augsburg University at US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. This time of year, indoor facilities like "The Bank," you know, the ones that allow games to be played indoors, are overworked. College and high school programs from all over the region pay a premium for the ability to get those games in while there's still snow on the ground.
 
To accommodate the volume of games, strict time limits are enforced. And that time limit came into play for the Yellowjackets and the Auggies Monday.
 
The Yellowjackets routed Augsburg, taking the opener by a 14-2 score. The second game, however, had to be suspended due to time constraints. If possible, the game will resume at a later date, with Augsburg leading the Yellowjackets 11-9 with the bases loaded and two outs in the bottom of the seventh. If the game can not be resumed, it will go in the books as a "no contest" and none of the statistics will be counted.
 
In the season opener, the Yellowjackets came out buzzing, putting a big inning on the board before the Auggies even had a chance to bat.
 
Freshman Noah Dagostino (Andover, Minn./Andover) got the party started, doubling with one out and then coming in to score the season's first run on a Ben Rhodes (Superior, Wis./Superior Senior) single to center. A two-out error by Augsburg allowed two more Yellowjacket runs to come home, as well as prolonged the inning.
 
The lead bulged to 5-0 when sophomore Jordan Trimble (Victorville, Calif./Grandview (Colo.)) launched a triple to deep center field, scoring Payton Steiner (Baraboo, Wis./Baraboo) and Brian O'Dwyer (Maple Grove, Minn./Maple Grove Senior). Sam McNosky (Minneapolis, Minn./DeLaSalle) then singled home Trimble, giving the Yellowjackets a 6-0 lead.
 
They added three more runs in the top of the second inning, and for the second time in the game Dagostino got things started, singling through the left side. The freshman infielder stole second and then went to third on a balk before scoring on a single by Rhodes. The big blow of the inning came next, when Isaac Fugere (Duluth, Minn./Duluth East) blasted his first home run of the season over the wall in left, increasing the Yellowjacket lead to 9-0.
 
In the fourth, Trimble picked up his second extra-base hit of the game, doubling to center and scoring O'Dwyer with the 10th run of the game for the 'Jackets. Trimble then scored on a sacrifice fly by Dagostino.
 
The Yellowjackets closed out their scoring in the fifth, plating three more runs. Fugere led off with a double and scored when Christian Garcia (Blue Springs, Mo./Blue Springs) singled up the middle. Two hitters later, Trimble reached on an error, with the play putting two runners in scoring position. McNosky took care of that, singling to left to make it a 14-0 game.
 
That would be more than enough offense for Yellowjacket ace Ryan Rodriguez (Chaska, Minn./Chaska). The veteran lefthander, who had a monster season in 2022, picked up right where he left off last season, mowing down the Auggies with ease. It wasn't until the sixth inning that Augsburg put a run on the board.
 
Rodriguez went six innings, allowing one run on two hits. He didn't walk anyone and struck out seven in earning his first win of the season. Owen Santiago (Minneapolis, Minn./Minnehaha Academy) pitched the seventh, allowing one run on one hit.
 
At the plate the Yellowjackets pounded out 16 hits. Garcia led the way with a three-for-four effort. He also scored twice and drove in a run. He was one of seven Yellowjackets with at least two hits in the game. Trimble and McNosky drove in three runs apiece.
 
The Yellowjackets will now head south for their spring trip, one that will see them play nine games as part of the RussMatt Central Florida Invitational. They will begin play Sunday, Mar. 12 with a doubleheader against Beloit. The opening pitch is set for 8:15 a.m. CST at Northeast Regional Park in Davenport, Fla.