Yellowjackets 13, Wesleyan 9
Box Score
As the temperature in Arizona got warmer, the Yellowjackets' bats got even hotter in their afternoon game against Wesleyan University, out of Middletown, Conn. TJ Evanson (Lakeville, Minn./Lakeville North) led the Yellowjackets hitting surge with two opposite field homeruns to help lead the Yellowjackets to a 13-9 victory.
Things looked good at the start the game for the Yellowjackets as they developed a bases-loaded threat against Wesleyan lefty Nick Cooney. However, Cooney was able to work around the three walked hitters in the frame as he recorded two key strikeouts and a induced a pop fly to get himself out of the inning.
Freshman pitcher Aaron Martin (Hayward, Wis./Hayward) got the start for the Yellowjackets, and early nerves struck the right-hander in his first collegiate inning. Martin hit his first batter, Matt Sorkin, and gave up back-to-back singles. Sorkin was able to score for Wesleyan after a sacrifice fly by Sam Goodwin-Boyd which gave the Cardinals an early lead. Martin was then able to induce an inning-ending double play to end the early treat.
In the bottom of the second, Wesleyan struck again scoring two runs off Martin to expand their lead to 3-0. The Cardinals were able to record five hits in the inning and took advantage of a costly error by Yellowjacket left fielder Michael Doescher (Wausau, Wis./Wausau West).
The Yellowjackets were able to get on the board in the top of the third inning when Jeff Miller (Minneapolis, Minn./Washburn) Sam Holden (Spooner, Wis./Spooner) and Tom Fairbanks (Brainerd, Minn./Brainerd) paired up to drive back-to-back RBI singles that narrowed the Cardinal lead to 3-2.
The Cardinals responded to the Yellowjackets and quickly re-established their three-run lead. Martin surrendered a walk and gave up a single before the Yellowjackets were forced to trade an out for a run. An error later in the inning also proved costly and ran the score to 5-2 in favor of the Cardinals.
However, the Yellowjackets weren't about to cave in.
Casey Dittel (Woodbury, Minn./Woodbury) drew a walk from Cardinal reliever Peter Rantz and Evanson delivered his first blast of the game, a flying line drive home run over the right field fence bringing the Cardinals lead down to 5-4.
Evanson's home run didn't seem to faze the Cardinals as they quickly loaded the bases in the bottom of the fourth. #Alex Beers# came on in relief of Martin and was able to induce a double-play and get a timely strike out to lead the Yellowjackets out of the inning.
The Yellowjackets exploded in the bottom of the fifth, scoring four runs on four hits as well as a Cardinals error. Fairbanks, Brady Flaherty (Balsam Lake, Wis./Unity), Robbie Veith (Brainerd, Minn./Brainerd)and Evanson all recorded hits in the inning to help establish the Yellowjackets first lead, 8-5.
Beers made little work of the Cardinals in the fifth and sixth innings, giving up only two hits and getting another double play. He was also aided by another strikeout.
The Yellowjackets struck again in the seventh inning scoring three runs on Miller's bases-clearing double. Miller's hit would help extend the 'Jackets lead to six runs, 11-5. They would add two insurance runs in the eighth and ninth innings. Flaherty hit his first collegiate triple, scoring Fairbanks and Evanson would add his second home run of the game in the ninth.
The Cardinals would mount a rally in the bottom of the ninth, scoring two runs off Beers. However, the Yellowjacket lead was already too much and Beers was able to record the final out to secure a 13-9 win.
The Yellowjackets offense exploded for a season-best 15 hits. Fairbanks was a perfect 5-for-5, while Evanson finished 3-for-4 with 5 RBI. Beers was credited with the win, pitching six innings and giving up two earned runs in relief of Martin.
The Yellowjackets improve to 3-4 on the season and will be back in action Monday, March 18 against Grandview University and Williams College. Both games will be played at Kino Sports Complex in Tucson, Ariz. Dan Genrich (Wausau, Wis./Wausau West) and Kyle Gauger (Spooner, Wis./Spooner) are tentatively scheduled to start.