WINTER HAVEN, Fla. – After a day off of competition in the RussMatt Central Florida Invitational, the Yellowjacket baseball team took the field against the Hawks of Roger Williams University Wednesday. The game was scheduled for 5 p.m. CT, but games prior in the day took longer than expected, forcing a first pitch of 6:20 CT.
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The 80-minute delay didn't hinder the 'Jacket offense, however, as they opened with a combined three runs in the first two innings, followed by another pair of runs in the top of the fourth inning.
Josh Pritchard (Surrey, British Columbia/Clayton Heights Secondary) toed the rubber for Superior and excelled, throwing five innings of shutout baseball. The Hawks logged three runs in the bottom of the ninth, but
Adam Jensen (Brainerd, Minn./Brainerd) picked up his first save of the season as the Yellowjackets won 5-3.
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Game Notes
- The 'Jackets scored two in the first, beginning with a walk from Chase Oxborough (Brooklyn Park, Minn./Champlin Park). Drawing a walk was Devin Frydenlund (Belleville, Wis./Belleville) before Tanner Voight (Stillwater, Minn./Stillwater) hit an RBI single to left.
- Payton Steiner (Baraboo, Wis./Baraboo) returned to the lineup after injury and drove in Voight, giving the 'Jackets an early 2-0 lead.
- In the top of the second Oxborough singled through the left side to score Brian O'Dwyer (Maple Grove, Minn./Maple Grove), who logged a one-out single.
- Pritchard had five strikeouts in five innings of work, allowing two hits while walking one. He gave way to Miles Kay (Albertville, Minn./Saint Michael-Albertville), who threw an inning of work.
- The next 2.1 innings belonged to Declan Higgins (Minneapolis, Minn./DeLaSalle), and the Hawks offense came alive, scoring three runs in the bottom of the ninth inning. Adam Jensen (Brainerd, Minn./Brainerd) came into the game and walked the first two batters he saw before settling down and striking out the last two RWU hitters to secure a 5-3 win.
- O'Dwyer went 3-4 with two runs scored on the day, pacing the Yellowjacket offense. Oxborough drew two walks and had two hits on the day.
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UWS will be back in action Thursday, taking on the Duhawks of Loras College. Action begins at 3:45 p.m. CT at the Chain of Lakes Park in Winter Haven.
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