April 9, 2008          
                                                                  

Yellowjackets and Marauders Split Twinbill

     Game One
     Game Two 

BILLINGS, Mont. – Montana State Billings and the University of Mary spilt a doubleheader at Pirtz Field Wednesday afternoon.  The Yellowjackets took the opener 6-5, while the Marauders came-from-behind with four runs in the seventh for an 8-6 victory.

The Marauders (8-18) opened the scoring in the top of the first as Mike Feldman roped a double down the left field line for an RBI and later Brennen Quintos hit a two RBI single to center for a 3-0 lead.  The Jackets and hurler Cody Clark got out of the inning on a 643 double play.

The Yellowjackets (11-24) scratched out one run in the bottom of the first and were helped out by two Marauder errors in the inning.  Levi Johnson hit a fielder’s choice scoring Cole Pryor from third for the run.  Pryor reached on a single and an error by the shortstop. 

MSUB took the lead in the bottom of the second, scoring three runs.  Matt Kakalecik hit a run scoring double down the left field line and later Pryor roped a double to right field for two runs and a 4-3 lead.  Mary committed two more errors in the inning.

After Marry hit a leadoff double in the third and advanced to third base with nobody out, Clark buckled down and got a strikeout, a groundout and a flyout to end the threat.

Kakalecik hit his second run scoring double of the game in the third giving the Jackets a 5-3 lead.  This time he scored Jonathan Schlender who singled to center earlier in the inning. 

Mary cut into the deficit in the fifth as Feldman lined a single to right field scoring Dan Eichele who opened the inning with a walk for a 5-4 score.

The Marauders loaded the bases in the sixth with one out on Yellowjacket reliever Bobby Henderson, but the Jacket defense stepped up as Matt Schoonover got a liner for unassisted double play to end the inning and preserve the 5-4 lead.

The seventh started with Andy Leer and a leadoff double to left field off Yellowjacket closer Andy Barham.  A sacrifice bunt advanced Leer to third with one out, followed by a sacrifice fly by Feldman to score the tying run.

Pryor reached base on an over throw by the catcher and advanced to second in the bottom half of the seventh.  After an intentional walk to Nick Rupert, Mary brought in reliever Nate Watson for starter Jeremy Campbell.  After the Marauders recorded the second out in the inning, Schlender scored the winning run on an infield single for a 6-5 score.

Barham (1-0) picked up the win in relief as Clark went five innings, allowing five hits, four earned runs, two walks and five strikeouts.  Offensively, the Jackets were led by Kakalecik, Pryor and Schlender who each had two hits for the team total of six. 

Campbell (0-3) takes the loss allowing six runs and only three were earned.  Leer led the way going 3 for 4 in the opener.

Yellowjacket starter Brian Howe retired the first two batters in the second inning of the nightcap, before a double and a singles put runners at the corners for Mary.  Howe came back with some fine pitching and got Ryan Lee to pop up to first base to end the threat.

Leer led-off the third with a single to center and then later scored on an error for a 1-0 lead.  A fielder’s choice plated the second run of the inning for the Marauders.

Matt Schoonover hit a two out single to right field in the bottom of the fourth for the Jackets’ first hit of the game.  Levi Johnson followed with a single giving the Jackets two on for the first time in the game.  Schlender reached and scored Schoonover on an error by the Marauder third baseman for a 2-1 score.  Kakalecik put the Yellowjackets ahead with a two run double down the left field line, 3-2.

The Marauders evened the score in the fifth with a sacrifice fly by Quintus, scoring Feldman who doubled earlier in the inning.

Nick Harris led-off the bottom of the fifth with a triple to center for the Jackets.  Stefan Malkuch lined a single to the right side as the Jackets regained the lead 4-3.  Mary made a call to the bullpen for Daniel Massinburge.  Tyler Porter went four innings, allowing five hits four runs, only two earned and one walk.

Malkuch added an insurance run for the Jackets as he stole home on a 2-2 count with two outs for a 5-3 lead.  Schlender fisted one to right field for a 6-3 lead.

Mary loaded the bases in the sixth with one out on Yellowjacket reliever Leo Hansen.  A sacrifice fly scored one run to cut the lead to 6-4. 

The Jackets brought in Malkuch to close the game in the seventh.  He walked the first batter and an error put two on with nobody out.  A single loaded the bases and a groundout scored the first run of the innning.  Moments later, an error scored the game-tying run.  A hit batsman loaded the bases for the second time in the inning with one out. The Marauders added two more runs for an 8-6 lead.

The Jackets put a man on in the seventh but were unable to move him past first, falling 8-6.

MSUB heads to Northern Colorado this weekend for a three game series, beginning Friday.  It will be the first time that MSUB has played a Division I opponent since baseball was reinstated in 2006.