Jackets Drop Conference Opener at St. Mary’s (3/2/06)
Box Score 1
Box Score 2

SAN ANTONIO, TX – The Montana State-Billings baseball team dropped the first two games of the Heartland Conference season on Thursday, losing 9-1 and 8-2 at St. Mary’s University.  The Yellowjackets fell to 0-6 overall and 0-2 in the Heartland.  St. Mary’s improved to 7-4, 2-0.  The same teams will meet again Friday in San Antonio.  The games will be aired on the web at www.stmarytx.edu/athletics starting at 3:00 p.m. MST.

The Rattlers led 2-1 through four innings in the first game before erupting for six runs in the bottom of the fifth.  Yellowjacket starter Kyle McBride (Jr., Billings, MT) went 4 1/3 innings, allowing 10 hits and six earned runs to fall to 0-2.  The Rattlers’ David Ramirez pitched a complete game four hitter for the win.

Four different Yellowjackets had one hit apiece.  Doug Longfellow (Jr., Lewistown, MT) doubled and drove in a run.  The Rattlers pounded out 16 hits.  Cody Pyle and Jason Anderson each drove in three RBI.  Pyle also homered.

St. Mary’s scored two runs in each of the first four innings of second game.  Tommy Vrzal coasted to his second win of the year for the Rattlers, striking out 12 and scattering four hits over seven innings.  The Jackets’ Chris Martin (Jr., Billings, MT) took the loss, giving up five hits and six runs in 2 2/3 innings.

The Rattlers had 11 hits and all eight of their runs were earned.  Michael Brzezinski went 3-for-4 with a run and two RBI for St. Mary’s.  Four different Yellowjackets scratched out four singles.