DAVENPORT, Fla. – For the third straight season, the Yellowjacket baseball team hit the road to take part in the RussMatt Central Florida Invitational. The 'Jackets play eight total games in the Sunshine State of Florida, and Sunday they opened the week with a sweep of Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) competitor Concordia College.
 
Pitching led the way in both games, as both Zach Romans (Saint Michael, Minn./Saint Michael) and Aiden Pfeifer (Eden Prairie, Minn./Eden Prairie) limited the Cobbers to just three runs in two games. Romans picked up the win in the opener as the 'Jackets won 4-2, while Pfeifer started game two and led the way with a 4-1 victory.
 
Game One Notes

• The Yellowjackets struck first in game one, as leadoff batter Nick Fredrikson (Minneapolis, Minn./St. Anthony Village) singled up the middle on the first pitch he saw. He would get moved over by a sacrifice bunt from Noah Dagostino (Andover, Minn./Andover) and ultimately score thanks to Payton Steiner's (Baraboo, Wis./Baraboo) RBI single.
• In the bottom of the second inning, Jordan Trimble (Victorville, Calif./Grandview (Colo.)) reached base on an infield single. He would later steal second and come around to score after Brian O'Dwyer (Maple Grove, Minn./Maple Grove Senior) drilled an RBI double. Later in the inning O'Dwyer would get cashed in, giving UWS a 3-0 lead.
• Dagostino was hit by a pitch in the bottom of the fifth inning. He stole second during Steiner's at-bat, who was able to drive him in with another RBI single.
• The Cobbers were able to scrap two runs in the bottom of the top of the seventh inning, but the Yellowjackets turned to southpaw hurler Declan Higgins (Minneapolis, Minn./DeLaSalle), who got the final out of the ballgame with three-straight strikes.
• Romans put together a masterpiece on the bump. He pitched 6.2 innings of no-hit baseball that featured eight strikeouts.
• Fredrikson, Steiner and Trimble each contributed two hits in the contest.

 
Game Two Notes

• Early in the first inning UW-Superior struck first once again, commencing with a walk to leadoff hitter Fredrikson. Steiner later notched a single and both runners advanced on a wild pitch, as Trimble drilled a double down the left field line to cash in two quick runs.
• UWS drove in another runner in the top of the second inning, as Cole Ondrus (Esko, Minn./Esko) led off the inning with a walk. Noah Paulseth (Apple Valley, Minn./Apple Valley) laid down a sacrifice bunt to move Ondrus into scoring position which led to Fredrikson hitting an RBI single to center field.
• Pfeifer ran into some trouble in the middle innings but limited the Cobbers to just one run in the bottom of the third.
• Concordia's leadoff hitter in the bottom of the fourth reached on a single once Owen Santiago (Minneapolis, Minn./Minnehaha Academy) entered the game, but he picked up a strikeout and Paulseth gunned the Cobbers' runner at second to cap the inning.
• Pfeifer gave way to Adam Jensen (Brainerd, Minn./Brainerd) in the bottom of the sixth inning, who efficiently worked his way through the inning.
• The Yellowjackets scored their fourth run courtesy of Fredrikson, who scored Rhodes after he reached on an error. Fredrikson was thrown out at second trying to advance on the outfielder's throw.
• Jensen earned the save for the Yellowjackets in the bottom of the seventh, securing the sweep over the Cobbers. Pfeifer was credited with the win.
• Fredrikson led the 'Jackets in the offensive category, notching two hits in the game.

 
The Yellowjackets return to action Monday facing off against UW-Stout. First pitch is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. CT at Northeast Regional Park.
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