SAINT PETER, Minn. – Winter has begun to give way to spring in the Midwest as the Yellowjacket baseball team opened the 2025 campaign Tuesday afternoon, taking on the Golden Gusties of Gustavus Adolphus College. With temperatures in the mid-to-high 40's the Yellowjackets were able to play games in February once again, marking back-to-back seasons Superior has taken advantage of the warm weather.
 
Tuesday would face a tall task for the 'Jackets, taking on a team with 73 players and arguably one of the most senior-heavy lineups across the nation.
 
UWS began game one with an early two runs in the opening frame before the Gusties eventually answered back in the bottom of the second. Superior stayed within striking distance until GAC extended its lead after taking advantage of Yellowjacket miscues, allowing for a seven-run bottom of the sixth that gave them a 13-2 victory.
 
Game two saw the 'Jackets score two more runs in the first inning before Gustavus Adolphus countered with two runs of their own. The 'Jackets would take the lead in the top of the fourth before putting up a three-spot in the top of the sixth to pad the lead at 6-2. The Gusties mustered up some offense and regained control, however, scoring two in the sixth and three more in the seventh to secure a 7-6 win at the Gustie Baseball Field.
 
Game One Notes

• Cole Ondrus (Esko, Minn./Esko) delivered the first base hit of the 2025 season, smoking a ball into right field for a one-out single. He would advance to third after a walk and fielder's choice before Tanner Voight (Stillwater, Minn./Stillwater) advanced to second off a throwing error, allowing Ondrus to score.
• Trey Sybrant (Saint Michael, Minn./Saint Michael-Albertville) would reach on an error by the first baseman, ultimately scoring Voight for the second run of the inning.
• A leadoff double from the Gusties started their three-run bottom of the second, but Yellowjacket starter Zach Romans (Saint Michael, Minn./Saint Michael) would pitch a three up, three down third to end his afternoon.
• GAC scored twice in the bottom of the fifth, giving way to a seven-run bottom of the sixth that saw the Gusties lead by 11 at 13-2. Ethan Coady (Toronto, Ontario/Etobicoke School of the Arts) and Reese Fleig (Washburn, Wis./Washburn) would see time on the mound during the inning.
• Ondrus and Jordan Trimble (Victorville, Calif./Grandview (Colo.)) led the way offensively in game one, each going 2-3.
• Romans was tagged for the loss in the opener, pitching three innings and allowing four hits on three runs.

 
Game Two Notes

• Superior struck again in the first inning, as Tanner Voight (Stillwater, Minn./Stillwater) clobbered a ball well over the left field fence for the first Yellowjacket home run of 2025. He drove home Noah Dagostino (Andover, Minn./Andover), who singled to left field to open the game.
• Gustavus Adolphus responded with a two-RBI double to left center, knotting the game up at 2-2 in the bottom half.
• Pitching would control the second and third innings, and the Yellowjackets were led by senior hurler Ben Welle (Melrose, Minn./Melrose). He struck out two-of-three in the second before fanning the side in the fourth and logging another pair of swinging Ks in the fifth.
• Voight sent another ball into orbit in the top of the sixth inning, this time scoring Payton Steiner (Baraboo, Wis./Baraboo) who hustled out a double down the right field line.
• Logging his first collegiate base hit was Chase Oxborough (Brooklyn Park, Minn./Champlin Park), singling up the middle before advancing to second on a wild pitch and scoring off a stolen base in the top of the sixth.
• The Gusties got a pair of homers in the bottom half of the inning, bringing the Yellowjacket lead to two at 6-4.
• Later GAC got three runs off three hits in the bottom of the seventh, as Miles Kay (Albertville, Minn./Saint Michael-Albertville) and Declan Higgins (Minneapolis, Minn./DeLaSalle) split the pitching efforts in the inning.
• In the top of the ninth inning the Yellowjackets showed some life. After a looking strikeout and a bang-bang play at first base, Wylee Lottman (Kerkhoven, Minn./Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg) hit a pinch hit double to left field, but the Gusties drew a fly ball to left field that sealed the doubleheader sweep.
• Voight was 3-4 in the contest, scoring three runs and logging four RBIs off two long balls.
• Ben Welle (Melrose, Minn./Melrose) logged five innings of work on the bump, allowing just three hits and two runs with a career-high nine punchouts.

 
The Yellowjackets return to Saint Peter this Sunday, taking on Carleton College in a four-game series. The opening doubleheader is set for 12:30 p.m. at the Gustie Baseball Field.
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