April 11, 2008

Softball Splits Doubleheader at Northwest Nazarene

     Game One
     Game Two 

NAMPA, Idaho. – The Montana State Billings softball team split a doubleheader at Northwest Nazarene Friday afternoon as NNU took the opener with four runs in the seventh for a 7-6 come-from-behind victory and the Yellowjackets won the nightcap, 9-5.  MSUB improves to 18-17 on the year and 7-5 in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference.

The Crusaders jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the top of the first as the doubleheader was moved to Nampa after getting snowed out in Billings on Mar. 22.  The Yellowjackets were the designated home team for the doubleheader since the games were not able to be played in Billings last month. 

MSUB plated two runs in the bottom of the inning on a RBI double by Jenna Haacke and a RBI sacrifice fly from Terina Stacks who scored Haacke.  MSUB added two runs in the fourth as Kelly Parsons belted her fifth home run of the season, a two run shot and the Jackets added a run in the fifth on a RBI single by Leslie Davis for a 5-3 lead.   

NNU scored four runs in the seventh to take a 7-5 lead with the help of two costly Yellowjacket errors.  Two doubles and two singles scored three of the four runs and the fourth came with the help of the two errors and it proved to be the decisive run.   

The Jackets answered with one run in the bottom of the seventh as Stacks hit a RBI single to center and then Davis was picked off at third which would have been the tying run. 

Haacke went 3 for 4 to lead the Yellowjackets in the opener with a RBI and three runs scored.  Lindsey Trenary went four innings, allowing four hits, three earned runs, three walks and one strikeout.  Stacks (1-3) takes the loss going two innings, allowing four runs – three earned, five hits, one walk and three strikeouts.

In the nightcap, the Jackets jumped out to a 3-1 lead through three innings on a sacrifice fly, a wild pitch and a RBI double by Davis.  MSUB poured it on in the fourth, scoring four runs on three hits, highlighted by a three run home run from Parsons, her second of the day for a 7-1 lead.

The Crusaders added two runs in the sixth, but the Jackets countered with two more in the bottom of the inning for a 9-3 lead.  NNU added two more in the seventh but were unable to get any closer. 

Davis went 2 for 3 with two RBI to lead MSUB.  Parsons went 1 for 3 with the home run and three RBI.  Lisa Moore (7-5) picks up the victory going the distance and striking out 10.  

The teams will conclude the series with a doubleheader tomorrow.