Lady Jacket Softball Plays to Championship Game (2/17/07)
WOU Box Score
GCU Box Score
MWSU Box Score

PHOENIX, AZ – The Montana State-Billings softball team used a three-game winning streak to reach the Bronze Bracket Championship game at the Schutt Sports Leadoff Classic in Phoenix, Arizona Saturday.  The Yellowjackets played Western Oregon February 16 in round one of bracket play, downing the Wolves 11-8.  Continuing on to the semifinals, the Lady Jackets toppled Grand Canyon University 9-5 in the late game going nine innings to reach the championship game of the tournament. 

The Yellowjackets were scoreless in game one against the Wolves until the fourth inning where they got on the board with one run.  Over the next two innings the Jackets poured in 10 runs earning them a spot in the semifinal game against Grand Canyon Friday night.

Terina Stacks (Washougal, WA) pitched six innings allowing the Wolves eight runs off eight hits.  Stacks seated two batters.  She also put together a solid game at the plate going 3-for-5 with two runs and an RBI.  Teammate Jenna McCartney (Hamilton, MT) was a perfect 4-for-4, turning in one run and two RBI.

After dropping two games to Grand Canyon earlier in the tournament, the Yellowjackets were on top 4-3 in the bottom of the fourth.  Grand Canyon tied the game in the sixth inning keeping the Jackets scoreless.  Both teams scored a run in the eighth.  Yellowjacket pitcher Rebekah Tsatsa (Eagle, ID) held GCU scoreless in the top of the ninth setting her teammates up to make it to the championship game.  Lorel Palmer (Ogden, UT) and Mandy Shaapveld (Puyallup, WA) each scored a run with two others scoring on Grand Canyon errors in the bottom of the ninth to go on to the 9-5 win.

Tsatsa scattered nine hits over nine innings, pitching the distance for the Yellowjackets.  She also struck out three batters.  Stacks went 2-for-5 scoring off her third career homerun and second against Grand Canyon.  She also drove in a runner.  Leslie Davis (Federal Way, WA) went 1-for-3 scoring two runs.  Davis also hit a homerun and drove in a career-high three RBI.

The Yellowjackets lost to Missouri Western State 3-0 in the Bronze Bracket championship game.  Lisa Moore (Bakersfield, CA) allowed five hits and three earned runs in six innings in the loss.  She walked four and struck out two.  The Yellowjacket offense managed just a single apiece from Stacks and Steph Gosselin (Victoria, BC).  The Yellowjackets wrapped up the first week of the season with a 4-8 record.