SAINT BONIFACIUS, Minn. – The Yellowjacket baseball team returned to Missile Park Saturday to finish a three-game series against Crown. UW-Superior came out firing on all cylinders Friday, picking up a 10-0 victory. In the early innings of game one both teams scored a total of four runs each, and it turned into a dog fight until the final out. The Yellowjackets scored two runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to bring the game to 8-4, but the Polars came all the way back, grabbing a 10-8 win during the bottom of the tenth inning.
 
Despite losing a heartbreaker, the Yellowjackets erupted in the series finale, touching home plate 14 times and collecting 15 hits defeating Crown 14-2 in eight innings.
 
Game One Notes

• The Yellowjackets went scoreless in the top of the first, but Crown's leadoff hitter Mason Brock clubbed a home run to left field to open the scoring.
• UWS answered back, however, as Tanner Voight (Stillwater, Minn./Stillwater Area) singled to open the top of the second. He would score from a Brian O'Dwyer (Maple Grove, Minn./Maple Grove Senior) single after Jordan Trimble (Victorville, Calif./Grandview (Colo.)) drew a walk. Later in the inning, Nick Fredrikson (Minneapolis, Minn./St. Anthony Village) singled to score O'Dwyer and Trimble.
• Dagostino would join the hit party, notching an RBI single to lead 4-1.
• The Polars responded in the bottom of the third, as Howie Hatton singled before Ashton Long clubbed a two-run home run. Tyler Bloom would tie things at 4-4 after clubbing a home run of his own.
• The home runs continued as Jonny Rhodes (Superior, Wis./Superior Senior) clubbed his second home run of the weekend, giving the Yellowjackets a 5-4 lead. Crown would answer with a home run of their own in the bottom of the sixth.
• The Yellowjackets scored three more runs over the span of two innings to lead 8-5, but the Polars came back to tie things up, forcing extra innings. Bryan Gerbers would deliver the walk off home run in the bottom of the tenth inning to secure the 10-8 victory.
• Voight was 3-4 on the day, adding two RBI's to his line. Four other Yellowjackets finished with two hits.
• Ben Welle (Melrose, Minn./Melrose Area) started on the mound for the Yellowjackets, pitching six innings on the afternoon. He was relieved by Declan Higgins (Minneapolis, Minn./DeLaSalle) and Reese Fleig (Washburn, Wis./Washburn), pitching three full and 0.1 innings, respectively.

 
Game Two Notes

• After the game break, it took a while for both teams to muster offense, but the 'Jackets scored two in the top of the fourth inning. Voight and Isaac Fugere (Duluth, Minn./Duluth East) would single before Trimble reached on a fielder's choice. Designated hitter Wylee Lottman (Kerkhoven, Minn./Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg) grounded out to the second baseman, but it was enough for Voight to score. O'Dwyer notched a single to score Trimble, giving UWS a 2-0 lead.
• Crown tallied a run in the bottom of the fourth, but UW-Superior scored five runs on four hits.
• The Polars picked up an RBI double in the bottom of the seventh, courtesy of Mason Brock. Yellowjacket starter Aiden Pfeifer (Eden Prairie, Minn./Eden Prairie) would give way to Adam Jensen (Brainerd, Minn./Brainerd), who got out of the jam.
• Seven runs were tallied by the Yellowjackets in the top of the eighth inning, as the Polars utilized three different pitchers.
• Seven-of-ten Yellowjackets to step to the plate tallied hits in game two.
• Noah Dagostino (Andover, Minn./Andover) led the offensive production, going 4-5 in the contest. Fugere was 3-5, including three RBIs.
• Pfeifer picked up his fourth victory on the mound, pitching 6.1 innings allowing just two runs.
• In total, the Yellowjackets scored 22 runs across both games.

 
The Yellowjackets (11-10, 6-1 UMAC) will play a midweek doubleheader against Macalester Wednesday. First pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m. at Nicholson Field.
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