SUPERIOR, Wis. – For the Yellowjacket baseball team, Friday's extra inning loss to Northwestern could have been a defeat of devastating proportions.
 
Entering the day outside the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) playoff picture, the Yellowjackets needed to stack some wins together if they want the chance to play beyond the end of the regular season next week. After dropping the series opener, the Yellowjackets advanced into must-win territory Saturday, and needed two of their biggest efforts of the season.
 
And for the first time in several weeks, the Yellowjackets got exactly what they needed.

After falling behind early in the opening contest, the Yellowjackets took the lead and blew the game open late, defeating Northwestern 11-6 to snap a five-game losing streak. They followed the win up with a gritty effort, plating a run in the bottom of the eighth and holding on for a 3-2 win, sweeping Saturday's doubleheader and taking the series from the Eagles.

With the wins, the Yellowjackets improved to 17-17 overall and 12-6 in UMAC play. More importantly, the Yellowjackets got some help with Minnesota Morris falling twice Saturday and were able to move into the fourth and final playoff spot heading into the final weekend of the regular season.
 
The Yellowjackets got some timely hitting in both games and employed a balanced attack at the plate, while getting strong pitching on the way to the two important victories.
 
Game One Notes

• Northwestern started the scoring early, getting two runs in the top of the first and two more in the third to take a 4-0 lead.
• In the bottom of the third the Yellowjackets batted around and eventually pulled in front.
• After having a four-hit game Friday, Maxton Howell (Mission Viejo, Calif./Mission Viejo) got things started Saturday, dropping a single into right center with the bases loaded to get the 'Jackets on the board.
• Two batters later Jordan Trimble (Victorville, Calif./Grandview (Colo.)) singled to right center, bringing in two more runs to pull the Yellowjackets to within a run. They tied the game when a failed pickoff attempt sailed into right field and brought home Howell.
• Wylee Lottman (Kerkhoven, Minn./Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg) singled to center to plate Trimble and put the 'Jackets up 5-4 after three.
• The Yellowjackets extended the lead in the bottom of the fifth. With the bases loaded, Jonny Rhodes (Superior, Wis./Superior) executed a squeeze play, laying a bunt down that scored Tanner Voight (Stillwater, Minn./Stillwater) to make it 6-4.
• Noah Dagostino (Andover, Minn./Andover) followed with a single to center, scoring two more.
• Northwestern got two runs back in the sixth to make it 8-6, but in the bottom of the inning Lottman scored Howell with a single to center.
• The 'Jackets got two more in the eighth to close out the scoring. Rhodes was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, scoring Trimble, and Dagostino followed with an RBI fielder's choice, scoring Cole Ondrus (Esko, Minn./Esko) to make the final score 11-6.
• The Yellowjackets had 14 hits in the game and were led by Howell, Trimble, Lottman, Rhodes and Trey Sybrant (Saint Michael, Minn./Saint Michael-Albertville) who all had two hits each.
• Dagostino drove in three.
• Zach Romans (Saint Michael, Minn./Saint Michael) got the start on the mound and pitched into the seventh inning, allowing six runs (four earned) on 10 hits. He walked four and struck out two in improving to 5-2.
• Declan Higgins (Minneapolis, Minn./DeLaSalle) came on and had an impressive relief appearance, allowing two hits over three innings to get the save.

Game Two Notes

• The second game was a pitcher's duel from the word go, with Yellowjacket Josh Pritchard (Surrey, British Columbia/Clayton Heights Secondary) and Northwestern Nick Drinken matching each other inning-for-inning.
• Northwestern opened the scoring with a run in the top of the second, and it stayed 1-0 until the bottom of the third.
• Rhodes started things with a two-out single up the middle, and then he promptly stole second. Dagostino reached on an error and Payton Steiner (Baraboo, Wis./Baraboo) singled through the left side to bring in Rhodes with the tying run.
• Northwestern answered in the top of the fourth to move back in front, 2-1.
• In the bottom of the fifth the Yellowjackets again tied it. Again it was Rhodes, who reached on a one-out double. Two hitters later Rhodes came in when Steiner doubled down the left field line, tying the game 2-2.
• It stayed that way until the bottom of the eighth when Sybrant stroked a one-out double to right center field. Two batters later Voight ripped a double down the left field line, scoring Sybrant with the eventual winning run.
• Pritchard pitched eight strong innings before giving way to Riley Harbaugh (Banks, Ore./Banks), who pitched a perfect ninth to earn the save, his first of the year.
• Pritchard allowed two runs on nine hits over eight innings, walking one and striking out two to improve to 4-1 on the year.
• Steiner and Rhodes had two hits each. Rhodes scored twice and Steiner drove in two runs.

It's a quick turnaround for the Yellowjackets, as they take to the road for a non-conference game at Saint Mary's. The first pitch is set for 2 p.m. at Max Molock Field in Winona, Minn.
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