DULUTH, Minn. – The Yellowjacket baseball team played host to Minnesota Morris, as both teams opened their Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) series Saturday inside Historic Wade Stadium in Duluth.
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The 'Jackets found themselves down 1-0 in the opening frame, but they answered back and used a seven-run third inning to defeat the Cougars 13-2 in just seven innings.
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Game Notes
- The Cougars' leadoff hitter clubbed a triple down the left field line off starter Zach Romans (Saint Michael, Minn./Saint Michael). He was eventually cashed in on an RBI single.
- Despite the early run, Romans collected three swinging strikeouts in the first frame.
- UWS quickly responded, as Nick Fredrikson (Minneapolis, Minn./St. Anthony Village) walked before Trey Sybrant (Saint Michael, Minn./Saint Michael-Albertville Senior) drove him in with a single up the middle.
- A pair of errors allowed the 'Jackets to load the bases for designated hitter Mason McKellar (Nashotah, Wis./Arrowhead), as he singled to plate Sybrant, giving UWS a 2-1 lead.
- In the top of the third inning, Romans got two quick outs before walking Ethan Schmitz. He was caught stealing however, as Isaac Fugere (Duluth, Minn./Duluth East) gunned him down to spark the Yellowjacket bench.
- The bottom half of the frame saw seven runs from UW-Superior, as Tanner Voight (Stillwater, Minn./Stillwater Area) singled to right field along with McKellar. Brian O'Dwyer (Maple Grove, Minn./Maple Grove Senior) followed with a single to right field to score Voight.
- Action commenced as Wylee Arro (Hermantown, Minn./Hermantown) was plunked, loading the bases for Fredrikson who also was hit by a pitch. Another base on balls was drawn by Ondrus and this prompted the Cougars to turn to their bullpen.
- Voight singled to right field to score two while Jordan Trimble (Victorville, Calif./Grandview (Colo.)) followed with a single up the middle, aiding the 'Jackets to score seven runs off five hits and two errors.
- The Yellowjackets added two more in the bottom of the fourth, as O'Dwyer tripled to right field before Arro collected his first collegiate hit, an RBI single to center field. He would later be driven in by Sybrant who doubled into the right center field gap.
- The Cougars scrapped across one run to make the game 11-2, but the 'Jackets scored two more in the bottom of the sixth, as Fredrikson singled to score McKellar who reached base on a throwing error from the third baseman. Ondrus scored O'Dwyer on a sacrifice fly to the center fielder.
- Romans once again shoved for the Yellowjackets, earning his fifth win of the season. Pitching all seven innings, he allowed just three hits on two runs while striking out 10, as six strikeouts came in the first two innings.
- Cougars starter Parker Gilchrist was tagged with the loss, allowing six hits and eight runs in 2.1 innings of work.
- Sybrant shined at the plate, going 3-5 with two RBIs. O'Dwyer also clubbed three hits on the evening.
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The Yellowjackets and Cougars return to Wade Stadium Sunday to wrap up their UMAC series. First pitch is scheduled for 12 p.m. in Duluth.
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