Jacket Baseball Hosts Crusaders in Home Opener (3/16/06)

BILLINGS, MT –  The Montana State-Billings baseball team is set to host its first opponent since May 7, 1975.  After a twelve-game swing through Texas, the Yellowjackets (0-16, 0-12) will open their season at home March 17 and 18 hosting Northwest Nazarene University.  Both days will feature doubleheaders beginning Friday, March 17 at 12:00 p.m.  The games will be played at Cobb Field.

These two teams met in Nampa, Idaho February 24 and 25 where the Crusaders (6-7) put together a four-game sweep of the Jackets winning 6-3, 10-0, 7-3, and 6-0.  Leading the Crusaders in Harold Schulz with a .472 batting averaging.  Schulz has 17 hits on the season to go with one run and five RBI.  Skyler Mantz has four runs and 10 RBI with teammate Matt Pollard bringing in 12 runs.  The Crusaders have a combined 4.59 ERA with 70 strikeouts.

The Yellowjackets have scored a total of 33 runs through the season thus far having a strong offensive showing against University of the Incarnate Word and St. Edward’s University scoring six runs in each game.  The Jackets are led by Kyle Slater (Jr., Missoula, MT) with a .308 batting average, three runs, four RBI and one homerun.  Nick Hoskyn (Jr., Oelwein, IA) (.260) has four runs and five RBI.  Willie Crtalic (Jr., Billings, MT) has three runs, four RBI, one homerun and is 2-for-2 in stolen bases.  The Yellowjackets pitchers have a combined 10.23 ERA and 63 strikeouts.

Following Fridays games the two teams will meet again on Saturday for a doubleheader.  First pitch is 11:00 a.m.  The Jackets will play two make up games against Colorado Christian Tuesday March 21 at Cobb Field.  The games were originally scheduled to be played at Colorado Christian but inclement weather caused the games to be cancelled.