OSHKOSH, Wis. – Sunday marked the second day of the UW-Oshkosh Invitational for the Yellowjacket softball team, coming on the heels of a 2-0 effort Saturday where the Yellowjackets defeated Wisconsin Lutheran and Loras.
 
Things would be a little more difficult for the Yellowjackets in the opener Sunday, as they took on the hosts from UW-Oshkosh. The Titans, who entered the game as the No. 4-ranked team in the country, performed in every way like one of the best teams in the nation. Oshkosh took down the Yellowjackets 10-1 to start the day. The Yellowjackets rebounded in their final game of the weekend, cruising to19-4 win over Beloit College.
 
The Yellowjackets (4-2), finished the weekend at the UWO Rec Plex Dome 3-1 and will now take their talents to Florida for their spring trip.
 
Baylee O'Donnell (Mendota Hights, Minn./Richfield) had a monster day for the Yellowjackets, driving in nine runs in the two games, including the only run the loss to Oshkosh. O'Donnell went 6-for-6 and also scored two runs.
 
Samantha Swartz (Antigo, Wis./Antigo) started the Beloit game in the circle and earned the win, improving to 3-0 on the year.
 
Game One Notes

• Oshkosh plated the first run of the game in the bottom of the first and added two more in the bottom of the second before blowing the game open with a five-run third inning.
• In the fourth inning, the Yellowjackets got Zoe Thomson (Le Sueur, Minn./Le Sueur-Henderson) into scoring position, but they were unable to bring her home.
• Oshkosh scored its final two runs in the bottom of the fourth.
• The Yellowjackets finally broke through in the fifth. Bella Garley (Albuquerque, N.M./Porter (Tex.)) singled and was lifted for pinch runner Kendallyn Kalenberg (Hutchinson, Minn./Hutchinson). A passed ball moved Kalenberg into scoring position and O'Donnell singled to left, bringing her home.
• The Yellowjackets had five hits in the game.
• Garley started in the circle, allowing six runs on eight hits in 2.1 innings. She was tagged with the loss, falling to 1-2 on the season.
• Emma Pillion (Ottawa, Ill./Ottawa Township) came on and pitched the final 1.2 innings, giving up four runs on seven hits.

 Game Two Notes

• The Yellowjacket offense came alive in the second game, scoring 19 runs on 12 hits.
• After a scoreless first the Yellowjackets scored three in the second, when Morgan Young (Blaine, Minn./Blaine) and Swartz came home on a Lily Hanson (Cloquet, Minn./Esko) triple, and Hanson later scored on an error.
• In the third O'Donnell doubled down the left field line, bringing in two more runs to make it 5-0.
• The 'Jackets blew the game open in the fourth, scoring a whopping 14 runs.
• Thomson cleared the bases with a double to right center to get the scoring started.
• Later in the inning, O'Donnell drove in two more with a double to left center.
• Megan Witt (Burnsville, Minn./Eagan) brought home a run on a single to center field, and Kalenberg followed with a bases-clearing double to left center to stretch the lead to 14-0.
• Kylie Hochsprung (Lakeville, Minn./Lakeville North) singled in a run later in the inning.
• O'Donnell closed out the scoring, blasting her first home run of the season, a grand slam to left center, making it 19-0.
• Beloit scored four runs in the top of the fifth, but it was nowhere near enough to prevent the run rule from being invoked.
• Swartz gave up three hits and no runs in three innings. She walked three and struck out one.
• Georgia Youngblood (Ray, Mich./Lutheran North) pitched the final inning for the Yellowjackets.

The Yellowjackets will return to action Saturday, March 8 when they open their spring games in Florida. They will take on Elms at 8 a.m. and Saint Joseph's of Connecticut at 10 a.m. in their first games of the 35th Annual Gene Cusic Collegiate Classic.
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