One Up, One Down for Jacket Softball (3/3/07)
Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score

RICHLAND, WA - The Montana State-Billings softball team split its pair of games at the Central Washington Invitational for the second day in a row on Saturday.  The Yellowjackets pounded out 11 hits in an 11-5 win over Saint Martin's before falling to 22nd-ranked Seattle University 9-2.  Bracket play at the tournament will be held Sunday.  MSUB was 4-2 in pool play to improve to 8-10 overall this season.

"The hitting is getting a lot better," said Yellowjacket head coach Kim Lemmens of the Jackets' early season progress.  "In Arizona we had a lot of fly balls.  We're seeing the ball better, hitting the center of the ball, and hitting a lot of line drives.  From day one we've been talking to the players about how talented they are.  It's just a matter of putting it together.  The confidence is growing, and we're seeing success.  All in all they're accepting their roles and confidence is continuing to build.  A young team is starting to gel together."

In the Jackets’ early game, they broke open a scoreless tie against St. Martin’s (1-6) with 11 runs in the final four innings.  Neither team was able to push a run across through the first three innings, but they combined for 16 runs between the fourth and seventh innings.  Yellowjacket starter Lisa Moore (Bakersfield, CA) improved to 3-3 with the win.  She went the distance, allowing seven hits and four earned runs in seven innings.  She struck out four and walked three.

Despite six St. Martin’s errors, seven of MSUB’s eight runs were earned.  The Yellowjacket offense had four extra base hits, three doubles and a triple.  Ten of the 11 runs were scored by RBIs. 

Leadoff hitter Lorel Palmer (Ogden, UT) went 4-for-5 with a double, two runs and an RBI.  Terina Stacks (Washougal, WA) was 2-for-5 with two runs and an RBI.  She hit her team-leading fifth double of the season.  Steph Gosselin (Victoria, BC) was 2-for-4 with three runs and two RBIs.  She tripled and doubled.

Ryanne Horton took the loss for Saint Martin’s, giving up eight hits and seven earned runs in 5 1/3 innings.  She struck out six and walked three.  Danni Ballard was 3-for-4 with two runs and four RBIs.  She hit two home runs.

In the late game, MSUB stuck with Seattle for the first four innings.  The Redhawks (10-7) were ranked 22nd nationally in the NFCA preseason poll.  Seattle pulled away from a 2-2 tie with two runs in the top of the fifth inning.  The Redhawks added a run in the sixth and exploded for four runs in the seventh.

Stacks took the loss to fall to 3-2.  She was roughed up for 16 hits and five earned runs.  Three Yellowjacket errors contributed to four unearned runs.  Stacks walked three and struck out three.

Offensively, Stacks led the Jackets going 2-for-4 with a run and an RBI.  She hit her team-leading fourth home run of the season.  Only three players in school history have hit 10 or more home runs in a season.  Stacks still has over half the season remaining.  Gosselin went 2-for-4; for the day she 4-for-8.  Jessica Frank (Great Falls, MT) was 2-for-3 with two doubles.  Aysha Maddox (Richland, WA) also doubled.

The Redhawks’ Kelsey Reynolds picked up the win, going 4 1/3 scoreless innings.  She struck out four without a walk.  Jane Purdy, a junior from Missoula, Mont., was 3-for-5 with two home runs.  She scored twice and drove in four RBIs.

The Yellowjackets will wrap up play at the Central Washington Invitational with Sunday’s bracket play.  MSUB will be seeded fourth and face Western Oregon at 9:00 a.m.  If they win, they will advance to meet Seattle in the tournament semifinals.  The Jackets open their home schedule on Wednesday when they host University of Mary for a doubleheader starting at 10:00 a.m. at Cenex Stadium.

TOURNAMENT STANDINGS
1) Seattle 5-1
2) Western Washington 4-2
3) Central Washington 4-2
4) Montana State-Billings 4-2
5) Western Oregon 3-3
6) Saint Martin's 1-5
7) Northwest Nazarene 0-6

SUNDAY'S SCHEDULE (All times Pacific Standard)
Quarterfinal: #6 Saint Martin's (1-7) vs. #3 Central Washington (6-5), 9 a.m.

Quarterfinal: #5 Western Oregon (3-8) vs. #4 MSU Billings (8-10), 9 a.m.

Semifinal: Saint Martin's-Central Washington winner vs.
#2 Western Washington (8-5), 11:30 a.m.

Semifinal: Western Oregon-Montana State-Billings winner vs.
#1 Seattle (10-7), 11:30 a.m.

Championship: Semifinal winners, 2 p.m.