On Thursday, March 28 the Yellowjacket baseball team closed out its non-conference schedule for 2013, taking on Saint Mary's University of Winona, Minn. in the climate controlled comfort of Mall of America Field in Minneapolis. And as was the case the last time the Yellowjackets played under the roof of the Metrodome, they came away with a split against a MIAC foe.

Game 1
Saint Mary's 6, Yellowjackets 5
Box Score

The Cardinals jumped on Yellowjacket starter Alex Beers (Robbinsdale, Minn./Robbinsdale Armstrong) in the bottom of the first inning, scoring three runs and jumping out to the early lead, holding on to get the victory in game one despite a furious Yellowjacket rally in the top of the sixth inning.

It was the Yellowjackets, however, who drew first blood in the opener.

Robbie Veith (Brainerd, Minn./Brainerd) led off the game with a double down the left field line and came around to score on a Jeff Miller (Minneapolis, Minn./Washburn) fielder's choice to make it 1-0 before the Cardinals came to the plate. But Saint Mary's had an answer in the opening frame and exited with the lead.

With one out in the inning Paul LaNassa walked and Kevin Gannon doubled to put runners on second and third and Kyle Servais cleared the bases, sending a Beers pitch over the wall in left field to make it a 3-1 game.

Saint Mary's added a single run in the bottom of the fourth and blew the game open with a pair in the bottom of the fifth to open up a 6-1 lead. Meanwhile starter Matt Biagini was cruising on the mound for the Cardinals, holding the Yellowjackets to one run on three hits through five innings.

In the sixth, however, the Yellowjackets broke through in a big way and chased Biagini from the game.

TJ Evanson (Lakeville, Minn./Lakeville North) led off with a double and Miller followed with an RBI single, his second run-scoring at bat of the game. Tom Fairbanks (Brainerd, Minn./Brainerd) would follow with a walk and pinch hitter Michael Doescher (Wausau, Wis./Wausau West) would be hit by a pitch to load the bases. Tyler Duex (Chippewa Falls, Wis./Chippewa Falls) brought Miller home with a sacrifice fly and a double by Casey Dittel (Woodbury, Minn./Woodbury) scored two more runs to pull the Yellowjackets to within one at 6-5.

The Yellowjackets were able to get their first two hitters of the seventh inning on base but the Cardinal bullpen held, shutting the Yellowjackets down, not allowing them to plate the equalizer.

Veith and Evanson each went 2-for-3 in the game as the Yellowjackets knocked out seven hits.

Beers pitched three innings and gave up four earned runs on six hits to go along with two walks and three strikeouts. He was tagged with the loss, falling to 1-1 on the year. Travis Elwood (Ramsey, Minn./Anoka) pitched the final three innings, giving up two unearned runs on two hits.

Game 2
Yellowjackets 3, Saint Mary's 1
Box Score

In the second game the Yellowjackets turned to workhorse lefty Dan Genrich (Wausau, Wis./Wausau West) on the mound, and the sophomore didn't disappoint, tossing a complete game five hitter to give the Yellowjackets the split.

Genrich and Saint Mary's starter Justin Kronebusch were the story early, pitching a scoreless duel through four innings. In the bottom of the fifth, the Yellowjackets were finally able to break through and grab their first lead of the game.

With one out in the inning, Veith and Wyatt Soderquist (Cambridge, Minn./Cambridge-Isanti) reached base and executed a double steal to put two runners in scoring position. Evanson followed with a double down the left field line, plating both runners to make it 2-0. Two hitters later Fairbanks singled, scoring Evanson and the Yellowjacket lead was three.

From there Genrich continued to stymie the Cardinal bats. In the top of the seventh Saint Mary's scored their only run of the game, playing "small ball" to manufacture a run, but Genrich was fully in control and closed out the Cardinals.

Veith and Duex had two hits apiece to pace the Yellowjackets, who had eight hits in the game. Veith hit .667 in the doubleheader, going 4-for-6. Evanson, Miller, Fairbanks and Doescher had the other hits in the game.

Genrich gave up the one run while scattering five hits in the seven-inning victory, which improved him to 2-3 on the year. He walked one and struck out four.

The Yellowjackets (7-8, 0-0 WIAC) will open the conference portion of their 2013 schedule on Saturday, April 6 when they take on UW-Whitewater. The first pitch of the four-game series at Prucha Field at Miller Stadium is scheduled for 12:00 p.m.