NEW ULM, Minn. – The Yellowjacket softball team began Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) play Thursday, traveling to New Ulm to take on Martin Luther in the first of a three-game series. Superior and MLC were originally scheduled to play later in the week, but with anticipated inclement weather in the area, both teams agreed to adjust their schedules.
 
The 2025 season has seen the Yellowjacket bats on fire, hitting near a .400 clip entering Thursday. Those bats continued to pace Superior, as they accumulated 21 hits while scoring 22 runs to win their first UMAC contest of the campaign.
 
Game Notes

• A leadoff single by Peyton Bennett (Harrisburg, S.D./Harrisburg) got the party started. Returning to the lineup for the first time since being sidelined with an injury, Norah Schmitz (Carver County, Minn./Waconia) singled to right field before stealing second, setting up Zoe Thomson (Le Sueur, Minn./Le Sueur-Henderson) for a sacrifice fly.
• Ellie Macal (Winona, Minn./Cotter) plated Schmitz with an RBI single before Baylee O'Donnell (Mendota Hights, Minn./Richfield) clobbered a triple to right field. She was later brought in off an RBI single from Samantha Swartz (Antigo, Wis./Antigo), who sent a pitch into right center field to give UWS a 4-0 lead.
• Superior put a five spot on the scoreboard in the top of the third. Bella Garley (Albuquerque, N.M./Porter (Tex.)) doubled to left field and later scored on an error from the Knights defense. Later in the inning Lily Hanson (Cloquet, Minn./Esko) sent a ball into right field for a triple, scoring Swartz who reached base on a single to center.
• Bennett, Thomson and O'Donnell each accounted for RBI singles in the inning, boosting the 'Jackets' lead by ten.
• The offense kept things rolling in the fourth, scoring 12 runs off seven hits and three errors. Eight Yellowjackets appeared as pinch hitters and either got on base or scored a run in the process.
• Bennett finished with three stolen bases on the day, while Superior garnered seven on the afternoon.
• Garley got her seventh win of the season in the circle, pitching three innings and allowing just one hit. She gave way to Pillion, who pitched the final two innings and allowed just two hits, combining for a shutout.
• Macal paced offensively, going 4-4 with two runs scored and two RBIs. Bennett went 3-3 at the plate with four runs scored and one RBI, while Thomson drove in a team-leading three RBIs Thursday.

 
Games two and three of the series will take place Friday, as the doubleheader commences at 12 p.m. at the MLC Softball Field.
  Read Full Article