SAINT PAUL, Minn. – After winning the first two games of the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) tournament, the Yellowjacket baseball team entered Championship Saturday needing just one win to secure its first UMAC title in program history.
 
After defeating Crown 4-0 on Friday, the Polars needed to emerge victorious to keep their season alive. They did just that, downing tournament-host Northwestern 12-2 to earn a championship berth.
 
The Yellowjackets took an early three-run lead in the bottom of the first inning, but the Polars responded with back-to-back three run innings leading to their 9-7 victory, forcing a winner take all game.
 
UWS scored first in game two before Crown returned fire. The 'Jackets tied things up in the top of the fourth, but Crown delivered the final punch. They scored three in the sixth, giving them an 8-6 victory and the UMAC Championship.
 
Game One Notes

• The 'Jackets came up firing in the bottom of the first, as Nick Fredrikson (Minneapolis, Minn./St. Anthony Village) led off with a single up the middle. Tanner Voight (Stillwater, Minn./Stillwater Area) would drive him in with a double to right center, and Isaac Fugere (Duluth, Minn./Duluth East) would trade places with Voight, clubbing a double of his own to give UWS a 2-0 lead.
• Noah Dagostino (Andover, Minn./Andover) doubled to left, ultimately scoring Fugere to make it 3-0.
• Crown countered with three runs in the top of the second and found three more in the top of the third.
• UW-Superior scratched two runs in the fourth as Fredrikson singled through the left side and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Steiner copied Fredrikson's at bat with a single through the five-six hole before Voight hit a grounder to second base, scoring Fredrikson. Fugere and Trey Sybrant (Saint Michael, Minn./Saint Michael-Albertville Senior) singled in back-to-back at bats to score another run, trailing only by one.
• The Polars once again responded, as a double scored their seventh run in the fifth. The following inning, Crown plated another to extend the lead 8-5.
• In the bottom of the sixth inning, Voight hit a hard liner over the left field wall, cutting the Polars' lead to 8-6. The following frame saw Voight double to left center, scoring Fredrikson who reached on an error.
• The Polars scored their final run in the ninth, and that would be all as the Yellowjackets were unable to respond.
• Voight was 3-5 with four RBIs, while Fugere, Fredrikson and Dagostino added two hits.
• Adam Jensen (Brainerd, Minn./Brainerd) received the start in game one, who was followed up by Ethan Coady (Toronto, Ontario/Etobicoke School of the Arts), Miles Kay (Albertville, Minn./St. Michael-Albertville), Riley Harbaugh (Banks, Ore./Banks) and Kevin Rahe (Princeton, Minn./Princeton).

 
Game Two Notes

• In the winner take all finale, the action started in the top of the first as Dagostino doubled down the right field line before advancing to third on a wild pitch. He was plated by Steiner who singled through the five-six hole.
• Crown countered with their leadoff hitter reaching on a Yellowjacket error before Howie Hatton hit a home run to left off starter Declan Higgins (Minneapolis, Minn./DeLaSalle), giving the Polars a 2-1 advantage. Two more runs came in the bottom of the second, with the Polars leading 4-1.
• UWS tallied another in the third with a Voight double down the left field line, followed by Steiner's single up the middle.
• Josh Pritchard (Surrey, British Columbia/Clayton Heights Secondary) came into relieve Higgins in the bottom of the third, but Rhys Dewick doubled to left field before he was brought in off a fielder's choice to Tyler Bloom, giving the Polars a 5-2 lead.
• The 'Jackets fought back, as Cole Ondrus (Esko, Minn./Esko) singled to left and Brian O'Dwyer (Maple Grove, Minn./Maple Grove Senior) reached base on an error. A Jonny Rhodes (Superior, Wis./Superior Senior) double down the left field line plated Ondrus and advanced O'Dwyer to third.
• Fredrikson hit a sacrifice fly and Dagostino followed that up with a triple to right field, tying the game at five runs apiece.
• The logjam was broken up in the bottom of the sixth inning, as a two-run homer from Matt Shaugabay and an RBI single gave Crown an 8-5 edge.
• Sybrant collected an RBI while reaching on a throwing error, plating Voight who reached on an infield single.
• Unfortunately for the Yellowjackets, they were unable to touch home plate again as the Polars won the UMAC title match by a score of 8-6.
• Dagostino, Voight and Steiner each added two hits.
• Reese Fleig (Washburn, Wis./Washburn), Kevin Rahe (Princeton, Minn./Princeton) and Ethan Coady (Toronto, Ontario/Etobicoke School of the Arts) each toed the rubber in the season finale.

 
The Yellowjackets end the 2024 season with an overall record of 22-19 and conference record of 14-7. The 'Jackets finished over .500 and collected over 20 wins in back-to-back seasons under head coach TJ Oakes. Read Full Article