University of Wisconsin-Superior Athletics

MANKATO, Minn. - The Yellowjacket baseball team, on the heels of claiming the program's first Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) Regular Season Championship, opened the postseason tournament Thursday against the No. 3 seeded Eagles of Northwestern. The 'Jackets struck first with three before the Eagles responded with seven runs in three innings. 
 

A key response in the bottom of the fifth inning helped the 'Jackets to a big six-run sixth, ultimately defeating the Eagles 11-8. 

Game Notes 

• Tanner Voight's (Stillwater, Minn./Stillwater) three-run home run to right center field gave the 'Jackets the early lead, scoring Noah Dagostino (Andover, Minn./Andover) and Trey Sybrant (Saint Michael, Minn./Saint Michael-Albertville) who walked and singled, respectively. 

• In the top of the third inning, Davis Winter got Northwestern on the board with a homer just over the right field fence, making the score 3-1. They would come within one after an RBI single in the top of the fourth. 

• Later in the top of the fifth, UNW took advantage of Yellowjacket miscues and scored five runs to lead 7-3. 

• Voight would hit a leadoff double, his second of the day, to begin the fifth. A fielder's choice off the bat of Niles Monroe (Belleville, Wis./Belleville) would plate Voight to adjust the deficit to three at 7-4. 

• The big blow came off the bat of Voight, as the big dog of the UMAC hit his second of the game, a league-leading 15th homer with a grand slam. Later in the frame, Niles Monroe (Belleville, Wis./Belleville) would garner his first collegiate homer, a two-run shot, to extend Superior's lead to 10-7. 

• The Eagles responded in the eighth with a sacrifice fly, but Brian O'Dwyer (Maple Grove, Minn./Maple Grove) hit a solo shot to left field for the final dagger, as the 'Jackets would claim an 11-8 win. 

• Voight led the offensive onslaught, going 4-5 with three runs and a career-high seven RBIs.  

• Paddy Kelly (Andover, Minn./Andover) finished his day going 3-4 with a run scored, while Monroe logged a trio of RBIs. 

• Toeing the rubber was Zach Romans (Saint Michael, Minn./Saint Michael), who threw the first four innings. He was relieved by Ryker Ebert (Cameron, Wis./Cameron), Gio Basile (Eau Claire, Wis./Eau Claire North), Evan Cichanofsky (Green Bay, Wis./Bay Port) and Kevin Rahe (Princeton, Minn./Princeton). Basile received the win after allowing just one hit and one run in two innings of work.  

• Rahe was awarded the save, his fourth of the campaign. 
   

The Yellowjackets will now take on the winner of the top-seeded Vikings and the No. 4 seed Minnesota Morris Cougars. First pitch on Friday is set for approximately 3 p.m. at ISG Field.