DULUTH, Minn. -- St. Scholastica dropped a non-conference bridge battle doubleheader to UW-Superior on Wednesday in Duluth, falling 9-1 in six innings in game one before a high-scoring 17-7 loss in game two. The sweep moves the Saints to 7-28 overall on the season.
UW-Superior set the tone early in the opener, using a three-run home run in the second inning to build a quick lead and never looked back. The Yellowjackets finished with 13 hits in the game, while the Saints were limited to just four. Sami Ernst (Forest Lake, MN./Forest Lake HS) led St. Scholastica with a pair of hits, including a double, and later scored the team's lone run in the sixth. Ally Breidenbach (St. Cloud, MN/Apollo HS) drove her in with an RBI single to break up the shutout.
After falling behind 6-0 through three innings, the Saints struggled to generate offense against UW-Superior pitcher Abby Mitchell, who struck out five over six innings. Bailey Ellison (Chaska, MN/Chaska HS) took the loss in the circle, while Aleah Shogren (Bemidji, MN/Bemidji HS) provided relief, combining for 13 hits allowed.
Game two saw a much more competitive start, as St. Scholastica jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning. Payton Lang (Lakeville, MN/Lakeville South HS) delivered the early spark with a two-RBI double, part of a strong offensive showing for the Saints, who finished with 14 hits in the nightcap.
Victoria Nelson (Lake Elmo, MN/Mahtomedi HS) collected three hits and scored twice, while Lang added three RBIs and two hits. Jadyn Lind (Hermantown, MN/Hermantown HS) chipped in with two hits and two RBIs, including a triple during a four-run seventh inning rally.
Despite the offensive output, UW-Superior answered with consistent scoring throughout, including a 10-run seventh inning that broke the game open. The Yellowjackets totaled 17 hits in the game, with multiple players recording multi-hit performances to complete the sweep.
St. Scholastica will look to bounce back as they return to action on Thursday, hosting Hamline in a doubleheader.
