Yellowjackets, Silverswords Split Pair (Apr. 6, 2005)
Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score

BILLINGS, MT – A seventh inning home run gave Chaminade a doubleheader split with Montana State-Billings on Wednesday, preventing the Jackets from a four game series sweep.  The Yellowjackets pounded out 12 hits and four home runs in a 10-0 win in the first game before losing 4-2 in the second game.  Chaminade’s Tara Hiramatsu homered in the top of the seventh to give the Swords the come from behind win in game two.

The Yellowjackets’ bats were hot in game one, belting four home runs and three doubles.  After taking a 1-0 lead in the first inning on a Rachel Quarnburg (So., Billings, MT) RBI single, the Jackets erupted for five runs in the second and four in the fourth to win via the eight run rule in five innings.  For the second time this season Quarnburg drove in five runs in a game.  She was 3-for-3 with two home runs, her fourth and fifth of the season.

Joey Ehnes (Sr., Great Falls, MT) pitched her third consecutive complete game victory, allowing one hit and striking out nine.  She was just two outs away from a perfect game before Chaminade’s Carolyn Fisher doubled over the left fielder’s head in the top of the fifth.  Ehnes improved to 19-7 on the season with the win.

Joining Quarnburg in the home run parade were Theresa Campbell (Sr., Great Falls, MT) and Christy Wankel (Jr., Great Falls, MT).  Campbell was 3-for-3 with an RBI and two runs, and Wankel went 1-for-3 with a pair of RBI.  It was Campbell’s team-leading sixth home run of the season and Wankel’s third.  Cami Rainey (Sr., Terreton, ID), Layne Pavey (Sr., Spokane, WA) and Sara Hanley (Sr., Kalispell, MT) each doubled with Rainey and Hanley driving in a run apiece.

The second game was a pitchers’ duel with Ehnes going again for the Jackets and Loihi McKeague for the Silverswords.  MSUB manufactured a run in the first capped by Campbell’s sacrifice fly to left scoring Ehnes.  It appeared as though that might be enough for Ehnes, who tied her own single game school record with 15 strikeouts in the game. 

The Silverswords rallied in the top of the sixth to tie the game 1-1.  After being hit by a pitch and moving to third on a bunt single, Frances Mabasa stole third base and scored on an error on the play at third. 

The Yellowjackets retook the lead in the bottom half of the sixth with another sac fly.  Jenna Haacke (Fr., Billings, MT) led off with a double to left center.  Aysha Blatter (So., Richland, WA) replaced Haacke as a pinch runner and was moved to third with a Jessica Frank (Fr., Great Falls, MT) groundout.  Blatter scored the go ahead run on a Pavey sacrifice fly to right.

Ehnes struck out the first batter of the seventh, but walked the next two.  After another strikeout, her fourteenth of the game, Ehnes gave up Hiramatsu’s game winner to dead away center.  Trailing 4-2, Ehnes struck out the final batter of the inning.  The Jackets were unable to produce a base runner in the bottom of the seventh.

MSU Billings moved to 23-11 overall and 6-4 in the PacWest.  Chaminade is now 10-29, 3-9.  The Yellowjackets host league leader Hawaii-Hilo on Sunday at 1:00 and 3:00 and again on Monday at 3:00 and 5:00.  The Vulcans swept a pair at Western New Mexico on Wednesday to improve to 26-6, 11-1.  Those teams meet again on Thursday before UHH flies to Billings.

Click HERE for photos of this game.