March 25, 2008          
                                                                  

Jackets Open Home Slate with Twinbill Sweep of Colorado Christian

   Box Score Game One
   Box score Game Two 

BILLINGS, Mont. – The Montana State Billings baseball team snapped an eight-game skid in the 2008 home opener with a doubleheader sweep of visiting Colorado Christian Tuesday afternoon at Pirtz Field, 4-2 and 8-5.  With the wins, the Yellowjackets improve to 6-16 on the year, while CCU falls to 9-19. 

The Yellowjackets got on the board in the bottom of the first inning with a RBI single by Matt Schoonover through the left side.  The Jackets added to the lead in the bottom of the second as Nick Rupert had a sacrifice bunt that scored Jeff Ridgeway from third for a 2-0 lead.

Cole Pryor led-off the fourth inning with a triple and later scored for a 3-0 lead.

The Cougars came back in the top of the fifth as they loaded the base for a two run double by Chad Barnhill, cutting the deficit to 3-2. 

Things got interesting in the sixth as Jacket reliever Bobby Henderson loaded the bases with a couple of walks and an error.  Henderson got out of the jam unscathed with his first two strikeouts of the season. 

The Jackets added the insurance run in the bottom of the inning as Rupert doubled down the left field line for his second RBI of the game, scoring Pryor who hit his second triple of the game earlier in the inning for a 4-2 lead.

The Cougars also loaded the bases in the top of the seventh as Hap Purden relieved Henderson with nobody out.  Purden got the save courtesy of a fielder’s choice, fly out and a foul out. 

The Jackets were led by Pryor who went 3 for 3 with two triples and a single.  Rupert went 2 for 3 with three RBI.  Brian Howe (1-1) takes the victory, going five innings, allowing three hits, two earned runs, three walks and three strikeouts.  Purden picked up his first save of the season.

MSUB opened the nightcap with three runs in the first two innings, highlighted by a two run home run by Rupert in the bottom of the second inning. 

The Cougars came back in the top of the third, scoring two runs on three singles to cut the deficit to 3-2.  The Yellowjackets made it 4-2 in the bottom of the third with a RBI double by Steve Larson.

Colorado College evened the score at four in the top of the fifth with a two RBI double by Chris Guyer.  Jacket head coach Chris Brown made a call to the bullpen to relieve Stefan Malkuch who went four and one third innings, allowing seven hits, four earned runs, three walks and one strikeout.  Nick Harris came in and got out of the inning.

The game wasn’t tied for long as MSUB pushed the lead back to two runs in the bottom of the sixth with a pair of bases loaded walks for a 6-4 advantage.  The Cougars then cut the deficit back to one run in the sixth with a RBI double by Barnhill to left center.

A pair of RBI singles gave the Jackets an 8-5 lead in the bottom of the sixth as Schoonover double, followed by a Levi Johnson single and later Larson singled up the middle plating Bryce Thomas who pinch-ran for Johnson and had a stolen base. 

Leo Hansen came closed the game in the seventh retiring the Cougars in order for the 8-5 win and his first save of the season.

Five different Yellowjackets had two hits in the game.  Rupert went 2 for 4 with a run scored and two RBI.  Larson also was 2 for 4 with two RBI.  Harris (1-0) takes the win in relief, going one and a third innings, allowing two hits, one earned run and two strikeouts.  Hansen had a strikeout in the seventh.

The Yellowjackets will be going for the sweep in the series tomorrow at 12 p.m. at Pirtz Field.