Jackets Hammer Mustangs; Two to Go (Apr. 30, 2005)
Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score
BILLINGS, MT – Montana State-Billings
used the first half of its final home stand of the season
to send a message to the rest of the West Region. The
Yellowjackets blasted visiting Western New Mexico, 10-0
and 13-1, to improve to 32-12 overall and 11-5 in the
PacWest. MSUB wraps up the regular season Sunday on
Senior Day with another doubleheader against the
Mustangs.
Western New Mexico (26-27, 6-10) was
ranked tenth in the region just two weeks ago and last
weekend defeated third-ranked San Francisco State, 2-1.
The Jackets dismantled the Mustangs’ pitching on Saturday,
pounding out a total of 26 hits and seven home runs in the
two games.
“That performance speaks for itself,”
said Yellowjacket coach Jeff Aumend. “We’re pretty good
offensively, but today was impressive. Western has some
good pitchers. They just held (second-ranked) Dominguez
Hills to two runs and beat San Francisco State in a one
run game. We’re hitting the ball well right now.”
The Jackets wasted no time jumping on
Mustang starter Molly Yetman in the first game. Rachel Quarnburg (So., Billings, MT) doubled down the
right field line with one out to score Joey
Ehnes (Sr., Great Falls, MT) from first. The next
batter, Theresa Campbell (Sr., Great Falls, MT), cleared the
bases with a towering blast to left that was estimated at
275 feet.
The 3-0 cushion was more than enough
for Ehnes, who went the distance for her 24th win of the year. She struck out 11 without a walk and
scattered four singles over six innings. Ehnes also
scored two runs to help her own cause.
After chasing Yetman after one
inning, the Jackets hit four home runs off reliever Megan
Gross, who allowed seven runs on seven hits. The Jackets
added a run in the fourth inning on a solo shot from Jessica Frank (Great Falls, MT). It was the
freshman’s first collegiate home run, and it broke the
Mustangs’ backs.
The Yellowjackets tacked on three
runs in the fifth and three more in the sixth to win via
the eight run rule. Quarnburg’s three run homer with no
outs in the bottom of the sixth scored Ehnes and Cami
Rainey (Sr., Terreton, ID) to end the game.
Quarnburg was 3-for-3 in the game
with four RBI and three runs. Frank and Christy Wankel (Jr., Great Falls, MT) each collected
two hits with a home run each. Wankel hit a blast off the
top of the rocks in left center in the bottom of the
fifth, going back-to-back with Campbell’s second homer of
the game.
Campbell drove in four runs, going
2-for-3 with a pair of home runs. Even with her
school-record 22 career home runs, it was the first time
in her career that Campbell had homered twice in the same
game. She now leads the PacWest with 14 home runs on the
season.
The Yellowjackets picked up where
they left off to start the second game. They scored all
13 of their runs in the first three innings. Melissa
Lundwell took the loss for the Mustangs, giving up 14 hits
and 11 earned runs in two and a third. Ehnes pitched four
strong innings for the win, improving to 25-9. He gave up
two hits and a run while striking out six. Megan McCrae (Sr., Brandon, Manitoba) finished off the
fifth inning, retiring the side in order and striking out
two.
Rainey opened the game with a double
and was followed by an RBI single from Ehnes. Jenna Haacke’s (Fr., Billings, MT) single through the
right side with two outs scored Quarnburg from third for
the eventual winning run.
The wheels came off for the Mustangs
in the second when the Jackets put six runs on the board.
The blitz was started, oddly enough, with a Rainey bunt
single and an Ehnes foul ball. After Rainey’s bunt moved Sara
Hanley (Sr., Kalispell, MT) to third, Ehnes saved
Hanley who was coming home on the suicide squeeze. Ehnes
fouled off a tough pitch that was far out of the strike
zone to send Hanley back to third. Ehnes then singled to
right to score Hanley and start the rally.
Campbell drove in Rainey with a
single to right. Then Wankel’s fielder’s choice plated
Ehnes. After a Frank single, Layne
Pavey (Sr., Spokane, WA) crushed her fourth homer of
the year, scoring Wankel and Frank to give MSUB a 8-0
lead. The Jackets added five more runs in the third
inning, highlighted by Wankel’s second home run of the
day. The Mustangs were able to manufacture one run in the
top of the fourth when Tiffany DeVaurs drove in Rachel
Stahle.
Quarnburg was 2-for-3 with a pair of
RBI to finish her day 5-for-6. She raised her
league-leading batting average to .479. Rainey was
2-for-3 with two runs, staying on Quarnburg’s heels with a
.428 average.
Ehnes was 3-for-3 with two RBI and
two runs to help her own cause. Campbell was also
3-for-3, scoring once and driving in a run. Hanley went
2-for-3 with two runs, and Wankel was 1-for-3 with a
career-high four RBI. The Jackets’ 16 hits were their
second-highest total of the season. They pounded out 17
in a win at BYU-Hawaii earlier in the year.
Prior to Sunday’s 1:00 p.m. start at
Cenex Stadium, the nine Yellowjacket seniors will be
honored. Finishing their home careers will be Ehnes,
Campbell, Pavey, Rainey, Hanley, McCrae, Melissa DelSignore, Jordan Waverek, and Stephanie Cochrun. |
