Yellowjackets Drop Two at HPU (Mar. 24, 2005)
Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score

KANEOHE, HI – The Montana State-Billings softball team kicked of its conference schedule with a pair of losses at Hawaii Pacific on Thursday.  The Jackets dropped the first game, 4-3, after the Sea Warriors scored in the bottom of the seventh.  HPU ran away with game two, 10-3.  The losses dropped the Yellowjackets to 13-7 overall and 0-2 in the PacWest.  The Sea Warriors improved to 22-8 overall and 7-3 in the conference. 

“We really hit the ball well in the first game,” said Yellowjacket head coach Jeff Aumend.  “We just didn’t get the runs across the plate.  Overall I was pleased with the way we played.  It’s a long season in the PacWest and any one of four teams can win it.  We’re not going to let this bump in the road deter us from our goal.”

Joey Ehnes (Sr., Great Falls, MT) took the loss in game one, giving up four hits in seven innings.  She struck out five but uncharacteristically walked seven.  The Yellowjackets rallied from a 3-0 deficit to tie the game in the top of the fifth on a Sara Hanley (Sr., Kalispell, MT) single that scored two runs.  Hanley's hit was mishandled by the right fielder, allowing Ehnes and Cami Rainey (Sr., Terreton, ID) to score.  The Sea Warriors scored the winning run in the bottom of the seventh on a two-out RBI single by Nicole Kalakau.  Hanley was 2-for-3 in the game.  Rainey went 2-for-4 with a run scored.

The Sea Warriors did most of their damage with two outs in the second game.  The Jackets took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning, but with two on and two outs in the bottom half of the inning HPU tagged Ehnes for five runs.  A dropped fly ball with two outs opened the flood gates.  The Jackets committed five errors in the game.  Ehnes took the loss to fall to 10-5.  She struck out three and allowed six hits in 3 2/3 innings. 

Megan McCrae pitched the final 2 1/3 innings, allowing two hits and striking out two.  She retired the first two batters of the sixth inning before eventually loading the bases and giving up a bases-loaded triple.  Christy Wankel (Jr., Great Falls, MT) was 1-for-3 at the plate with a double and two RBI.  Kalakau went 3-for-4 for the Sea Warriors.

The Yellowjackets and Sea Warriors play another doubleheader on Friday.  MSU Billings then has two days off before facing BYU-Hawaii in doubleheaders on Monday and Tuesday.

Hawaii Pacific 4, MSU Billings 3
MSUB – 000 030 0 – 3 8 0
HPU –    003 000 1 – 4 4 1
WP – Dana Berry
LP – Joey Ehnes

Hawaii Pacific 10, MSU Billings 3
MSUB – 010 200 0 – 3 5 5
HPU –    050 203 x – 10 8 1
WP – Clarisse Lemke
LP – Joey Ehnes