Jackets’ Cease Earns Heartland Award (3/14/07)

BILLINGS, MT – Montana State-Billings baseball player Mike Cease was tabbed Heartland Conference Co-Pitcher of the Week for the week of March 5-11.  The honor is Cease’s first and the Yellowjacket Baseball programs second of the season.

Cease, a sophomore right-hand pitcher from Deer Lodge, Mont., made four appearances in late inning relief last week.  He helped the Yellowjackets lock down a pair of series sweeps on the road.  In his four appearances, three as the closer, Cease was 1-0 with three saves and a 0.00 ERA.  Cease allowed just four hits and struck out five in six innings of work.  In the three games, he entered in the final inning with the bases loaded in two of them.  In the other game, Cease entered the game in the bottom of the eleventh inning with runners on second and third against Texas-Permian Basin.  The three saves for the week put him atop the standings in the Heartland Conference for saves with four.  Cease has already recorded more saves this season than the entire team had in last year’s inaugural season.

The Yellowjackets are set for a four-game series against Great Northwest Athletic opponent Central Washington University (10-4) in Ellensburg, Washington March 17 and 18.  Games are scheduled for noon and 3:00 p.m. PST.  Live stats are available at www.wildcatsports.com.