WINONA, Minn. – Snowfall in the Midwest has come at a minimum this spring, allowing for multiple spring sports to practice and compete outdoors. The Yellowjacket baseball team were one of those teams, having played Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference's (MIAC) Saint John's Feb. 26 and Augsburg Mar. 2 before starting their spring break trip.
Enter the past weekend's snowstorm.
The Twin Ports was clubbed with nearly a foot of snow, prompting a slew of schedule changes. One of those changes were the Yellowjackets and another MIAC competitor in Saint Mary's. The two ball clubs were originally scheduled to play a doubleheader Tuesday, but the weather forced the teams to adjust to a single nine-inning game Thursday.
The 'Jackets were able to put 12 runners on base but couldn't find a way to cash them in, as the Cardinals picked up a 7-0 victory at Max Molock Field.
Game Notes
- Action commenced with Nick Fredrikson (Minneapolis, Minn./St. Anthony Village) notching a single. He would steal second but would get stranded.
- In the top of the third inning, Jonny Rhodes (Superior, Wis./Superior Senior) singled to left and Fredrikson singled through the 3-4 hole, but the Yellowjackets were unable to score.
- Miles Kay (Albertville, Minn./St. Michael-Albertville) got the start for the Yellowjackets, pitching three innings and not factoring into the decision.
- Saint Mary's broke out in the fourth and fifth innings, as Kevin Rahe (Princeton, Minn./Princeton) walked the leadoff batter before being tagged with four runs, taking the loss Thursday. He would give way to Owen Santiago (Minneapolis, Minn./Minnehaha Academy), who pitched 1.1 innings and allowed two runs.
- Jonny Rhodes (Superior, Wis./Superior Senior) hit an infield single in the top of the fifth and made it to third base, but he too was left stranded.
- Riley Harbaugh (Banks, Ore./Banks) toed the rubber after Santiago, pitching 0.2 innings and allowing the final run for the Cardinals.
- The next UWS hurler came in Reese Fleig (Washburn, Wis./Washburn), who limited the Cardinals to just two hits in 2.1 innings of work.
- Rounding things out for the pitching staff was Payton Mangold (Ottawa, Ill./Ottawa Township), who picked up two key outs in the bottom of the eighth inning.
- The Cardinals' offense was led by Brinton Anderson, notching three hits in as many at bats. Mason Coyle was 2-4 with two RBIs.
- Fredrikson and Rhodes went 2-4 for the Yellowjackets.
The Yellowjackets will return to The Max Friday, as they reenter Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) play facing Martin Luther. First pitch of the doubleheader is set for 1:30 p.m. in Winona.
