MAUSTON, Wisc.- The University of Northwestern Baseball team has endured time and location changes over the past few weeks but were finally able to play their UMAC opening doubleheader on Sunday. The weekend series (including today's doubleheader) was scheduled to be a home series for the Yellowjackets but was moved out of Superior due to field conditions and was set to be hosted by UNW at Reynolds Field. However, due to last second weather conditions, Sunday's doubleheader was moved to a neutral location, taking place at the Woodside Sports Complex in Mauston, Wisconsin. Superior, who played as the home team, swept UNW by winning game one 6-1 and game two 13-4.
Game One
The opener was a high scoring affair early in the game, but the pitching staffs on each side settled down in the later innings. Every run scored in the contest came in the first five innings with the sixth, seventh, eighth, and ninth innings passing by scoreless.
Bryce Crabb (Des Moines, Iowa/Grand View Christian) started the game with a leadoff single in the top half of the first inning but the Eagles were set down in order after that. In the bottom half of the frame, the Yellowjackets would deliver the opening blow. Superior started their day with a leadoff double, and got a one out double two batters later to give them a 1-0 lead. A two out single would push another run across the plate and the Yellowjackets had a 2-0 lead after an inning.
The Eagles would respond with a run of their own in the next half inning.
Grady Karges (Oriska, N.D./Maple Valley) delivered a leadoff double and a
CJ Toutant (Hortonville, Wis./Christian Liberty) single advanced Karges to third base.
Isaac Pilon (Robbinsdale, Minn./Robbinsdale Armstrong) would drive a single to left field to score Karges and bring the Eagles to a 2-1 deficit. UNW would not get another hit in the inning and the rally ended there. The Yellowjackets would answer right back in the bottom of the frame when they drew a walk, stole second base, and then scored on an Eagle error. The scoreboard read 3-1 in favor of Superior after two innings.
The only other runs scored in the game would come in the fifth inning in favor of the Yellowjackets. Superior got a two run single and a sacrifice fly to push across three insurance runs. Those runs would be enough as they would win the UMAC opener, 6-1.
After the second inning, the Eagles would not find a way to push another run across the plate in the contest. However, it was not due to a lack of hitting and getting runners on base. UNW finished the contest with eight hits, but the difference in the game was the nine men left on base. The Eagles' lineup showed a lot of balance from top to bottom as eight different players delivered the eight hits.
Bryce Crabb (Des Moines, Iowa/Grand View Christian),
Daniel Peterson (Burlington, Wis./Burlington),
Ben Spores (Arlington, Wash./Arlington),
Grady Karges (Oriska, N.D./Maple Valley),
CJ Toutant (Hortonville, Wis./Christian Liberty),
Isaac Pilon (Robbinsdale, Minn./Robbinsdale Armstrong),
Beau Rabey (Prior Lake, Minn./Prior Lake), and
Aaron Severson (Columbia Heights, Minn./Columbia Heights) would all collect base hits for UNW in the contest.
Bryce Crabb (Des Moines, Iowa/Grand View Christian), in addition to getting on base twice, pitched well on the mound for the Eagles. The Yellowjackets got six runs on the board against the Eagle right hander, but only one of those runs was an earned run charged to the senior. Crabb picked up five strikeouts in the game.
Game Two
Despite some runs in the early innings, in contrast to the opening game of the doubleheader, the offensive surge in the finale came in the later innings.
This time, it was the Eagles who jumped out to an early lead.
Bryce Crabb (Des Moines, Iowa/Grand View Christian) started the game by reaching base on an error and advancing to second base on a fielder's choice off the bat of
Isaac Pilon (Robbinsdale, Minn./Robbinsdale Armstrong).
Benji Bruce (Minneapolis, Minn./Maranatha Christian) would move Crabb up 90 feet to third base with a single up the middle.
CJ Toutant (Hortonville, Wis./Christian Liberty) would drive in the opening run with a sacrifice fly to give the Eagles a 1-0 lead.
However, once again, the Yellowjackets immediately responded. In the bottom of the first inning they got an RBI single to centerfield and another RBI single (this time on a ball that stayed in the infield) and took their first lead of the contest, 2-1.
After a first inning filled with offense, the bats from both sides went quiet for the next three innings. There would be no more runs scored until the top of the fifth inning when
Ben Spores (Arlington, Wash./Arlington) drove in
Isaac Pilon (Robbinsdale, Minn./Robbinsdale Armstrong) with an RBI single to tie the game.
It was in the sixth, seventh, and eighth innings that Yellowjackets took momentum back and blew the game open. Superior got four runs in the sixth, four in the seventh, and two more in the eighth to take a commanding lead.
UNW would get two of those runs back in the top half of the eighth inning when they put a rally together.
Isaac Pilon (Robbinsdale, Minn./Robbinsdale Armstrong) picked up an RBI by driving in
Aaron Severson (Columbia Heights, Minn./Columbia Heights) with a ground ball to first, and
Benji Bruce (Minneapolis, Minn./Maranatha Christian) hit an RBI single that scored
Gilbert Garcia Jr. (Stockton, Cali./Saint Mary's) Superior held on to win the game 13-4.
The Eagles offense had a nice game, picking up 13 hits.
Gilbert Garcia Jr. (Stockton, Cali./Saint Mary's) led the way with three hits while
Isaac Pilon (Robbinsdale, Minn./Robbinsdale Armstrong),
Benji Bruce (Minneapolis, Minn./Maranatha Christian), and
Ben Spores (Arlington, Wash./Arlington) each had multi-hit games as well.
Sam Szymanski (Woodbury, Minn./Homeschool) got the start for UNW and gave up three earned runs in six innings.
Up Next
The Eagles are set to finish their UMAC opening series with UW-Superior tomorrow on Monday, April 3
rd. The third and final game is scheduled to take place at Reynolds Field (with the Yellowjackets playing as the home team) at 2:00 PM.
