Yellowjackets Win One, Drop Two at Central Washington Invitational (Mar. 5, 2004)

RICHLAND, WA – Montana State-Billings closed Friday with a 6-2 win over Western Oregon to finish day one at the Central Washington Invitational with a 1-2 record.  The Yellowjackets lost to 15^th-ranked Humboldt State, 10-7, and to host Central Washington, 5-3, earlier in the day.  MSUB, now 5-14 overall, faces No. 1 North Dakota State and Seattle on Saturday.

“Obviously it’s great to break a losing streak,” said Yellowjacket head coach Jeff Aumend following the Western Oregon game.  “We had leads in all three games against the 15^th-ranked team in the nation, but couldn’t close the door.  It’s encouraging to know we can play at that level, but we need to find a way to turn that corner.”

Joey Ehnes pitched a complete game for the victory over Western Oregon.  She struck out seven and gave up seven hits in six innings.  She also gave the Jackets their first two runs with a two-RBI single in the bottom of the second, scoring Anna Henderson and Cami Rainey.  Christy Wankel’s RBI single plated Layne Pavey, who had doubled, in the third. 

MSUB broke the game open in the fourth with three runs.  Rainey led off with a double, followed by a Stephanie Cochrun double that scored Rainey.  After Sara Hanley reached on an error, Theresa Campbell doubled to bring home Cochrun and Hanley.

The Yellowjackets were snake bit for the second day in a row against Humboldt, this time in the opening game of the tournament at 8:30 a.m.  MSU Billings fired the first shot in the home run-filled game, scoring three runs in the top of the first on a Pavey two-out homer.  Pavey’s drive scored Hanley and Campbell, who had each hit two-out singles.

Megan McCrae pitched the first 3 1/3 innings, allowing one run in the bottom of the third and one run in the bottom of the fourth.  Joey Ehnes replaced McCrae and got the Yellowjackets out of the fourth with a 3-2 lead.  After a scoreless top of the fifth for the Yellowjackets, Ehnes retired the first two of the first three batters of the fifth inning on five pitches.  That’s when the late-game curse that has followed the Jackets all season hit.  Ehnes gave up seven two-out runs, including two home runs and a triple as the Lumberjacks rallied for a 9-3 lead. 

The Jackets rallied for three runs in the top of the sixth behind home runs from McCrae and Rainey.  They added another run in the top of the seventh, but couldn’t complete the rally.  Ehnes doubled to score Campbell with two outs, but Pavey was thrown out at the plate to end the game.  Ehnes took the loss.  Stephanie Cochrun pitched the final 1 1/3 innings, allowing two hits and one run.

In game two, the Yellowjackets fell behind early against the host Wildcats.  With McCrae on the mound again, Central Washington jumped to a 2-0 lead in the top of the second on a home run and a sac bunt.  MSU Billings tied the game with a run in the bottom of the second and another in the bottom of the third.  Cochrun hit a two-out double to plate Wankel from first base in the second.  A Campbell single scored Ehnes in the third to tie the game.

The Wildcats tacked on runs in the fourth, fifth and seventh innings to pull away for the win.  A Caitlin Luehr RBI double in the sixth scored Wankel for the Jackets only other run in the game.  McCrae gave up eight hits and three earned runs, striking out two.