Pointers take four games from 'Jackets; softball team playing today at Stout

UW-Stevens Point scored winning runs in the bottom of the ninth inning twice on Sunday to sweep a Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference baseball doubleheader against the visiting University of Wisconsin-Superior Yellowjackets.

With the 1-0 and 6-5 wins, the Pointers completed a four-game weekend sweep of the Yellowjackets. Point also won 13-5 and 11-2 on Saturday.

In Sunday’s opener, a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the ninth provided the only run of the game. Stevens Point starter Cam Seidl took a no-hitter into the eighth inning before UWS’ Tom Fairbanks swatted a single for the Yellowjackets’ only hit of the game.

UWS starter Ethan Branum also turned in a strong effort, taking a shutout into the ninth. That’s when Stevens Point’s Bryan Clark hit a leadoff single before a sacrifice and two walks loaded the bases for the Pointers with one out. Jimmy Coady’s sac fly won the game.

Seidl earned the win; Branum took the loss.

In the second game, the Yellowjackets (12-13 overall, 3-7 WIAC) jumped ahead 5-0 in the top of the first thanks to two-run doubles from T.J. Evanson and Shaun Marshall.

But that was it on offense for UWS, as the Pointers (18-8, 10-4) steadily chipped away at the lead with one run in the fifth and three in the seventh.

Yellowjackets senior starter Mike Swanson worked into the ninth inning. He gave up a one-out single and was replaced by reliever Andrew Lange. The Pointers got two more singles to tie the game, and Max Middlestaedt’s sac fly drove in the winning run.

Jeff Miller was the Yellowjackets’ leading hitter in Saturday’s opener, going 3-for-5 with three RBIs. In the second game, Tony Remund, Rob Veith and Fairbanks each collected two hits.

The Yellowjackets will play at home for the first time this season when they host UW-Platteville for a pair of doubleheaders at noon on Saturday and Sunday. Both twinbills will be played at Wade Stadium in Duluth.

Softball

Sunday’s WIAC softball doubleheader between UW-Superior and host UW-Stout in Menomonie was postponed because of rain. The games will be made up at 3 p.m. today.

Superior began the weekend by dropping a pair of conference contests on Saturday at UW-River Falls, falling 10-0 in five innings and 4-0 at Wisconsin-River Falls.

The Yellowjackets, who combined for just seven hits in the doubleheader, are now 7-13 overall and 1-5 in the WIAC. The Falcons improved to 19-8, 4-2.

UWS hosts the College of St. Scholastica for two games beginning at 3 p.m. Wednesday at Liebaert Field. The Yellowjackets will also host UW-Stevens Point on Saturday and UW-Eau Claire Sunday. Both doubleheaders begin at noon.

Track and field

The Yellowjacket track and field teams competed in the two-day Falcon Invitational at River Falls on Friday and Saturday, and as has been the trend thus far in the outdoor season, the improvement continues to be steady and players continue to set personal records on an almost weekly basis.

For the weekend, the Yellowjacket men established 20 personal bests and broke one school record on the way to finishing eighth out of 13 teams competing. The Yellowjackets scored 40 points. The hosts from UW-River Falls claimed first place with 221 points.

Matt Rejio (Oulu) set a personal record with a first-place finish in the 400-meter hurdles with a time of 56.02 seconds. The sophomore also finished fourth in the 400-meter dash with a personal record time of 50.84 seconds.

Zakayo Magomolla (Duluth East) also set a personal record in the 400, placing sixth with a time of 51.30 seconds.

Distance runner Cam Tiberg finished tenth in the 1,500 with a time of 4:16.30, a personal record and Andy Kast took ninth in the steeplechase with a personal record time of 10:53.20.

The 4-x-100-meter relay team, comprised of Kevin Olson (Superior), Kevin Danielson (Hermantown), Kevin Griepentrog (Tigerton, Wis.) and Mike Sorensen (Duluth East) placed fifth with a time of 44.42 seconds.

Numerous runners set personal records in the 100- and 200-meter dash.

In the field events Nils Hansen continued his assault on the Yellowjacket record book. On Saturday he set a personal record in the discus with a throw of 44.33 meters (145 feet, 5 inches). This came on the heels of his Friday performance, one that saw him set a new school record (and personal record) in the hammer throw. Nilsen placed ninth with a throw of 48.23 meters (158-3), breaking his own record set just last week.

Olson also placed sixth in the pole vault, clearing the bar at a height of 4.30 meters (14 feet, 1.25 inches). He also had a top-10 finish in the long jump, finishing tenth with a leap of 5.90 meters (19-4.25). Right on his heels were Shane Trentor and Dijon Long, who finished 11th and 12th, respectively.

The UWS women were equally successful, as they established 13 personal bests and broke one school record on the way to finishing 10th out of 15 teams competing. The Yellowjackets scored 22 points. Winona State, a Division II school took first place overall at the meet, scoring 240.5 points.

In particular, the Yellowjackets competing in the field events shined.

Freshman Victoria Vinokur set three personal records on the weekend. On Friday she placed 11th in the hammer throw with a throw of 42.57 meters (139-8) and 13th in the javelin (87-11). Her finest performance came in the discus, where her personal-best mark of 42.68 meters (115-11), which was good for fourth place. The mark also established a new school record, previously set 11 years ago.

Katie Capriglione placed eighth in the hammer throw, reaching a mark of 46.40 meters (152-3) and on day two she reached a personal record with a throw of 35.34 meters (115 -11) in the discus.

On the track Traelynn Lewis placed seventh in the 400 with a time of 60.23 seconds; placed 11th in the 200 with a time of 26.27 seconds, a personal record; and was one of four Yellowjackets to set a personal record in the 200, joining Lauren Nielson, Darian Bushey and former Superior Spartan Nicole Olson.

Freshman Jenna Martin, also from Superior, turned in her best performance of the year, taking second place in the 400-meter hurdles with a time of 68.25 seconds. The time is a personal record for Martin.

The Yellowjackets continue their outdoor season at 3 p.m. Tuesday at the Twin Ports Open in Duluth.

Tags: sports, uws, yellowjackets, baseball