EAU CLAIRE, Wis. – To date, the 2025 season has been a somewhat magical run for the Yellowjacket softball team. Having won 25 of their first 30 games, the Yellowjackets have already clinched a berth in the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) tournament, with a series of key contests against other top UMAC teams coming up over the next couple of weeks.

Before those games, however, the Yellowjackets faced one of their stiffest tests of the season, a non-conference doubleheader against UW-Eau Claire. The Blugolds entered play Wednesday, like the Yellowjackets, one of the top offensive teams in the nation. They were also receiving votes in the recent AFCA coach's poll.
 
Things looked good early for the Yellowjackets, but in the end the Blugolds proved to be too much.
 
The Yellowjackets scored first in the opener, but the Blugolds came roaring back, scoring multiple runs in every inning to defeat the Yellowjackets 16-1 in five innings. Things were a little closer in the second game, but in the end Eau Claire was able to pull away, winning 7-2 and sweeping the doubleheader.
 
For the Yellowjackets (25-7, 12-0 UMAC), the losses snapped their winning streak at six games.
 
Zoe Thomson (Le Sueur, Minn./Le Sueur-Henderson) was the only Yellowjacket to register a hit in each game of the twin bill, notching a pair of singles in going 2-for-4 on the day.
 
Ellie Macal (Winona, Minn./Cotter) singled in her first at bat of the day Wednesday, extending her on-base streak to 10 straight plate appearances. She was retired in her second at bat of the opening game.
 
Game One Notes

• The bats were rolling early for the Yellowjackets, as they strung together three hits to score the game's first run.
• Lily Hanson (Cloquet, Minn./Esko) and Thomson singled to put runners on the corners before Macal singled up the middle to put the 'Jackets up 1-0.
• Eau Claire answered immediately, scoring five runs in the bottom of the first. They added five in the second before tacking on four in the third and two more in the fourth.
• The Yellowjackets were outhit 18-5 in the game.
• Karen Balabon (Elk River, Minn./Elk River) went 2-for-2 for the Yellowjackets.
• Samantha Swartz (Antigo, Wis./Antigo) started in the circle and suffered her first loss of the season, falling to 10-1 on the season.
• Georgia Youngblood (Ray, Mich./Lutheran North) and Emma Pillion (Ottawa, Ill./Ottawa Township) also pitched for Superior.

 Game Two Notes

• The second game was close early, with the teams scoreless through two innings.
• Eau Claire opened things up, scoring four times in the bottom of the third.
• Macal led off the top of the fourth with a walk and went to second on a wild pitch. She advanced to third on a single up the middle by Baylee O'Donnell (Mendota Hights, Minn./Richfield). Macal scored when Carly Stuckmayer (Delano, Minn./Delano) singled up the middle.
• Eau Claire got two more in the bottom of the fourth, then plated their final run in the bottom of the fifth.
• Macal reached on an error in the top of the sixth and Camille Wikstrom (Hermantown, Minn./Hermantown) pinch ran for her. Two hitters later MyKenzie Leccia (Somerset, Wis./Somerset) doubled to left, scoring Wikstrom with the game's final run.
• Bella Garley (Albuquerque, N.M./Porter (Tex.)) started in the circle and went the distance, allowing seven runs on 12 hits over six innings. She walked three and struck out two. She is now 11-5 on the year.
• The Yellowjackets had seven hits, led by Stuckmayer who went 2-for-3.

The Yellowjackets are back in action Friday when they travel to St. Paul to take on Northwestern. The first pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m. at Reynolds Field.
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