Jackets Sweep Hilltoppers out of Town (4/15/06)
Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score
Game Photos

BILLINGS, MT – Timely hitting and clutch pitching carried the Montana State-Billings softball team to a doubleheader sweep of St. Edward’s University on Saturday.  The Yellowjackets built a big lead then held on for a 7-6 win in the first game before coming from behind to win 5-4 in game two.  MSU Billings also took two games from St. Ed’s on Friday for a four-game series sweep.

The fortunes of the two teams could not have changed more this week.  St. Edward’s entered the week riding a perfect 14-0 conference record and the No. 5 ranking in the NCAA South Central Region.  Montana State-Billings was 5-11 in the conference and battling for one of the five conference playoff spots.  Including a two-game sweep by St. Mary’s on Wednesday, the Hilltoppers are now 14-6 in the league and are in danger of giving away a regular season conference title that seemed almost locked up just a week ago.  Meanwhile, MSU Billings dramatically improved its position, clinching at least fifth place in regular season standings and a berth in the conference tournament. 

The day’s first game began as a pitcher’s dual with just one runner reaching base in the first two innings.  The Hilltoppers struck first with a run in the top of the third on a Lauren Myrick home run, her first of two in the game.

The Yellowjackets responded with six runs in the bottom of the third inning to open a 6-1 lead.  An Anna Henderson (Sr., Frenchtown, MT) double down the right field line scored Terina Stacks (Fr., Washougal, WA) and Lorel Palmer (Jr., Ogden, UT).  Two batters later Jenna McCartney (Jr., Victor, MT) doubled to left center to plate Henderson. 

With two outs in the third, senior outfielder Christy Wankel (Great Falls, MT) hit a three-run home run to the opposite field, scoring Rachel Quarnburg (Jr., Billings, MT) and Jenna Haacke (So., Billings, MT).  The three RBI made Wankel the all-time record holder at the school with 90 career runs batted in.

After the Hilltoppers cut the lead to 6-2 in the top of the fourth, Stacks helped her own cause in the bottom half of the inning with a leadoff solo shot.  It was her first collegiate home run and would also turn out to be the winning run.  St. Ed’s scored three runs in the top of the fifth on back-to-back-to-back home runs by Karen Varteressian, Myrick and Kristen Lozano.  They added another in the top of the sixth off Stacks, but were unable to get anything going against Yellowjacket reliever Lisa Moore (Fr., Bakersfield, CA).

Moore pitched the final 1 1/3 innings to earn her first save of the season.  She dodged a bullet on the final out of the game when the Hilltoppers’ Lindsey Heye flew out to Henderson, who was leaning against the right field fence.  Stacks earned the win to improve to 4-9.  She went 5 2/3 innings, giving up 11 hits and six earned runs.  Robin Becker took the loss for the Hilltoppers to fall to 16-6.  She allowed five hits and six earned runs in 2 2/3 innings.

Eight different Yellowjackets combined for 10 hits in the game.  Wankel was 2-for-3 with a run and three RBI.  Palmer was also 2-for-3 and scored a run.  Stacks was 1-for-2 at the plate with an RBI and a pair of runs scored.  Henderson was 1-for-3 with two RBI. 

Lozano was 3-for-4 for the Hilltoppers.  Jennifer Hollas, Rebecca Ray, and Myrick each had two hits.

In the late game, the Yellowjackets built an early 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first.  McCartney hit a two-run blast to right, her first of the year, scoring Stephanie Gosselin (Fr., Brentwood Bay, BC).  Quarnburg followed with her eighth homer of the year.

The Hilltoppers answered with a big third inning to take a 4-3 lead, their first and only lead of the weekend.  The inning was highlighted by a three-run homer by Heye.  All four of the Hilltoppers’ runs were scored after a Yellowjacket error kept the inning alive.

MSU Billings came through with what would turn out to be the tying and winning runs in the bottom half of the third.  Quarnburg led off with a double to left after the Hilltoppers’ Lozano was able to knock down what looked like Quarnburg’s second homer of the game.  It mattered little, however, as Haacke followed with a two-run shot in the next at bat.  Ashley Powell (Fr., Missoula, MT) scored after pinch running for Quarnburg.  The home run was Haacke’s tenth of the season.

Moore and Becker battled for the next four innings of scoreless play.  Moore went the distance for the win to improve to 7-12.  She scattered four hits over seven innings and struck out four.  Moore only allowed two base runners after the third inning and neither advanced past first base.  Becker was pitching in relief of Courtney Francis, who gave up six hits and five earned runs in two innings.  Francis was the losing pitcher, falling to 4-5.

Quarnburg was 2-for-2 in the game with a run and an RBI.  Gosselin was 2-for-4 from her leadoff spot.  Of the Yellowjackets’ six hits in the game, three were home runs.

MSU Billings will wrap up the regular season next weekend at home against Lincoln University.  The Jackets and Blue Tigers will meet at 3:00 and 5:00 on Friday and noon and 2:00 on Saturday at Cenex Stadium.  Saturday will be senior day for Wankel and Henderson.