SAINT PAUL, Minn. – The Yellowjacket baseball team returned to Reynolds Field Saturday to take on the Eagles in two very important Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) contests. Dark clouds covered the ballpark most of the day, but luckily the 'Jackets and Eagles were able to play a full 18 innings nearing the UMAC Tournament.
 
The Yellowjackets didn't show up with their best stuff in game one, as the Eagles put up four runs in the second and two more in the third, ultimately propelling themselves to an 11-2 victory. This would repeat itself in game two before UWS got on the board in the top of the sixth inning. Two more runs came in the ninth, but the Yellowjackets' chances of taking the lead were snatched away, falling 4-3 in a heartbreaker.
 
Game One Notes

• Yellowjacket ace Zach Romans (Saint Michael, Minn./Saint Michael) was tagged for four runs in the bottom of the second, as the Eagles clubbed four hits with one error in the inning.
• Two more runs came in the next inning, as Miles Kay (Albertville, Minn./St. Michael-Albertville) relieved Romans on the afternoon. Romans picked up his first loss of the season, allowing eight hits on six total runs with only two earned.
• Kay's afternoon was done after the fourth inning, allowing for Owen Santiago (Minneapolis, Minn./Minnehaha Academy) to toe the rubber.
• In the top of half of the sixth, Payton Steiner (Baraboo, Wis./Baraboo) and Isaac Fugere (Duluth, Minn./Duluth East) drew walks before advancing to scoring position on a wild pitch. A throwing error from the Eagles' shortstop prompted two runs to score, making it 6-2 in favor of the Eagles.
• Northwestern responded with three runs and three hits in the bottom half. Santiago gave way to Riley Harbaugh (Banks, Ore./Banks), who would pitch until the bottom of the eighth inning. Kevin Rahe (Princeton, Minn./Princeton) would relieve Harbaugh and pitch a scoreless eighth inning.
• The 'Jackets sent a lineup of pinch hitters in the top of the ninth, who came in Adam Johaneson (Princeton, Minn./Princeton), Maxton Howell (Mission Viejo, Calif./Mission Viejo), Cole Ondrus (Esko, Minn./Esko) and Adam Swedahl (Woodbury, Minn./East Ridge).
• The Eagles finished with 16 hits in the contest while UWS had five.
• Aaron Severson pitched eight innings, allowing just four hits and two runs with six strikeouts, picking up the win and bringing his record to 3-4 on the season.

 
Game Two Notes

• The Eagles picked up where they left off in game two, as they took an early 2-0 lead on a two run shot to left field off of Aiden Pfeifer (Eden Prairie, Minn./Eden Prairie).
• Bats for both squads would go quiet until the top of the sixth inning, as Steiner led off the inning with a triple to right field. Tanner Voight (Stillwater, Minn./Stillwater Area) would cash in Steiner on an RBI single, cutting the Eagles' lead in half at 2-1.
• Northwestern answered back in the next half, as the leadoff man reached on an infield single before scoring on an RBI single. A solo shot to left field allowed the Eagles to jump out in front 4-1 in the bottom of the seventh.
• The top of the ninth inning featured a lot of fight from UW-Superior. Wylee Lottman (Kerkhoven, Minn./Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg) received a pinch-hitting opportunity, and he took full advantage by clobbering a double off the left field wall. Jordan Trimble's (Victorville, Calif./Grandview (Colo.)) ground ball to shortstop moved Lottman to third before Jonny Rhodes (Superior, Wis./Superior Senior) would double down the left field line on the first pitch he saw to bring the 'Jackets within two at 4-2.
• A Nick Fredrikson (Minneapolis, Minn./St. Anthony Village) single through the right side of the infield would plate Rhodes. Fredrikson was moved to third by a Noah Dagostino (Andover, Minn./Andover) groundout.
• The 'Jackets were down to their last out in Payton Steiner (Baraboo, Wis./Baraboo), but he was ultimately called out on a ground ball to the shortstop, as the Eagles edged the 'Jackets 4-3.
• UWS finished with nine hits, outhitting Northwestern who had seven.
• Pfeifer would be tagged with the loss, pitching seven innings while allowing five hits on four runs.
• Fredrikson, Voight and Rhodes each finished with two hits.

 
The Yellowjackets return to play Monday taking on St. Scholastica. First pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m. at Wade Stadium in Duluth. Read Full Article