Lady Jacket Softball Starts Fall Season in Nebraska (Sept. 17, 2004)

BILLINGS, MT – The days are growing shorter and the weather is turning cool, but the Montana State-Billings softball team starts preparing for spring with a two-day tournament in North Platte, Nebraska this weekend.  The Yellowjackets will face Otero JC, Nebraska-Kearney and Hastings College in round robin play on Saturday.  Sunday’s games will be bracket play. 

The Yellowjackets, 27-28 a year ago, are expected to be one of the contenders in the Pacific West Conference next spring.  The 2005 season will be the last for the core group of players who have been primarily responsible for the growth of the program. 

Head coach Jeff Aumend’s roster features nine seniors, six who earned all-conference honors as juniors.  Joey Ehnes (Great Falls, MT) returns for her senior season after being named to the All-PacWest first team and All-West Region second team last year.  She set school single season records as a pitcher with 21 victories and 261 strikeouts while ranking in the PacWest’s top 10 in eight statistical categories.  Ehnes, who was named the Yellowjackets’ Most Valuable Defensive Player, also had a good year at the plate.  She batted .271 and led the Jackets with 30 RBI and 29 runs scored. 

Sara Hanley (Kalispell, MT) earned first team All-PacWest honors at third base.  She was the Yellowjackets’ second leading hitter with a .308 average.  She led the PacWest in total hits with 53 and also ranked eighth for total bases with 67.  Hanley, one of the best fielding third basemen in the league, was also named the Yellowjackets’ Most Improved Player.

Layne Pavey (Spokane, WA) earned second team All-PacWest and second team All-West Region recognition as a catcher after leading the PacWest in home runs with eight.  She batted .307 with 28 RBI and 24 runs scored.  She ranked fourth in the conference for RBI and eighth for runs.  She also ranked first in the league for total bases and sixth for slugging percentage.

Joining Ehnes, Hanley and Pavey as returning all-conference players for the Yellowjackets will be second team members Cami Rainey (Terreton, ID) and Christy Wankel (Great Falls, MT) along with honorable mention selections Theresa Campbell (Great Falls, MT) and Stephanie Cochrun (Lake Stevens, WA).