VANDERBILT — Wild games have been the trademark of the Vanderbilt baseball team.

Just last week, the Yellowjackets tied Boyne Falls 10-10 in a league game that darkness called after seven innings.

And on Monday, Vanderbilt salvaged a split with Ellsworth by coming-from-behind three times in a 16-15 rollercoaster that twisted a different way each inning.

With the win, the Yellowjackets won and claimed their first Northern Lakes Conference win in the season after dropping the opener 10-6.

“I’m happy but also displeased,” said Vanderbilt coach Brian Webber. “There’s no reason we shouldn’t have taken two from them. We made a ton of mistakes but it was nice to see us come back and win that second game.”

Outs were at a premium in the nightcap, which started innocently enough with both teams plating one run in the first inning.

The Lancers then exploded in the second, taking advantage of walks, poor defense and timely hitting to tag Vanderbilt junior Roger Cole for eight runs.

Vanderbilt (3-4-1) wasted little time in responding, embarking on a one-out rally that saw it tie the game at 9-9 after the second inning. Senior Jeremiah Hibbler’s two-run double was the key hit, with Cole also providing a big single.

Ellsworth clawed right back in the third, taking a 13-9 lead before Vanderbilt again tied it in the bottom of the third on a double by freshman Travis Ormsbee and a pair or RBI hit by pitches by Tyler Parkman and Cole.

The Lancers put one on the board in the fourth before holding Vanderbilt scoreless in the bottom of the inning.

Then, Webber substituted Hibbler on the mound and he proceeded to retire the opposition in order, setting up a big bottom of the fifth. In that frame, Nathan Peterson scored on an RBI fielder’s choice from Cole before Hibbler singled in what would become the winning runs on a two-run single.

Ellsworth, which was down 16-14 heading into the sixth, made it interesting when one runner scored and the bases were loaded with one out. But, Hibbler bore down and retired the final two batters on pop ups.

“That was good for our confidence, but we still have a lot of work to do,” Webber said.

Hibbler was 3-for-5 with five RBIs in the victory while freshman catcher Cody Hunter had a pair of doubles.

It was another close game in the nightcap, but Ellsworth scored four runs in the sixth to take control of the game.

Sophomore Steve Snider pitched well for Vanderbilt, striking out 10. He also added two hits and two runs.

Cole also had two hits and two runs in that game while Ormsbee had the team’s other hit.

Vanderbilt plays at Otsego County rival St. Mary Monday.

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