SAINT PAUL, Minn. – In the Upper Midwest, spring sports are almost always at the mercy of weather. The Yellowjacket baseball team is a prime example. In the last week alone, the Yellowjackets played a home game on the campus of another team in the conference, and Saturday they played a road doubleheader against another Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) opponent on the field of a team in another conference.
 
In other words, it's a highly unpredictable season.
 
Saturday, coming off a doubleheader sweep at the hands of Minnesota Morris, the Yellowjackets and Cougars squared off for the third game of their series, playing at Reynolds Field at the University of Northwestern.

And Mother Nature again played a role.

Saturday's game was played in the elements, with rain and wind being central factors. Fortunately for the Yellowjackets, Matt Tappe (St. Anthony, Minn./St. Anthony Village) was also a huge factor, twirling a gem as the Yellowjackets got back in the win column, blanking Morris 3-0.
 
With the win, the Yellowjackets move a game back above .500 (12-11) and move to 8-3 in the UMAC. The Yellowjackets are currently 2.5 games ahead of second-place Crown.
 
Tappe pitched a complete-game, five-hit shutout to earn his fourth win of the season. He didn't walk a hitter and struck out seven to improve to 4-2.
 
The two teams combined for 40 runs in the two games Friday, but the offense was largely absent Saturday. Each team was only able to muster five hits. Morris got three of their hits in the first three innings, while the Yellowjackets didn't get their first hit until the fourth inning.
 
All of the offense in the game came in the top of the sixth inning.
 
With one out, Noah Dagostino (Andover, Minn./Andover) singled and went to third when Payton Steiner (Baraboo, Wis./Baraboo) singled through the right side. Steiner stole second to put two runners in scoring position, and Ben Rhodes (Superior, Wis./Superior Senior) followed with a single to center, making it 1-0 Yellowjackets. Christian Garcia (Blue Springs, Mo./Blue Springs), who has been the most consistent hitter for the Yellowjackets in 2023, got the job done again, ripping a double to center field, scoring both Steiner and Rhodes, and it was 3-0 Yellowjackets.
 
From there it was all Tappe. He gave up a pair of hits in the bottom of the sixth and had a man reach on an error in the eighth, and that was it.
 
Steiner paced the Yellowjackets offensively, going 2-for-4.
 
The Yellowjackets will play a non-conference doubleheader at Saint Mary's in Winona, Minn. Wednesday, Apr. 19. The opening pitch is scheduled for 2:30 p.m.