MSUB Softball Makes Annual Trip to WA (2/28/06)

BILLINGS, MT – Coming off a 3-8 start at two tournaments in Phoenix, the Montana State-Billings softball team will be tested again this weekend with eight games at the Central Washington Invitational.  The Yellowjackets will play eight different teams between Thursday and Sunday.

The Jackets start the tourney Thursday morning against Western Oregon and wrap up the first day against Northwest Nazarene in the afternoon.  Over the next three days the Yellowjackets will also face Grand Canyon, Humboldt State, St. Martin’s, Western Washington, Central Washington, and Seattle University.

The Jackets were 2-3 last weekend at the Schutt/Division II Leadoff Classic in Phoenix.  They defeated Southern Illinois-Edwardsville and New Mexico Highlands.  MSU Billings lost to Cal State-Dominguez Hills, Adams State, and Texas A&M-Kingsville.  Three of the Yellowjackets’ eight losses this season have been to CSU-Dominguez Hills.

MSU Billings has used a pitching staff comprised entirely of freshmen so far this season, and that trend will likely continue.  Lisa Moore (Bakersfield, CA) is 2-3 with a 6.0 earned run average.  She struck out 14 in the win over SIUE last week.  Rebekah Tsatsa (Eagle, ID) is 1-2 with a 6.18 ERA.

The Yellowjacket offense has been led by different players almost every game.  Jessica Frank (So., Great Falls, MT) is batting a team-best .357 with seven RBI and two home runs in nine games.  Christy Wankel (Sr., Great Falls, MT) is hitting .303 with seven runs and two homers.  Rachel Quarnburg (Jr., Billings, MT) has a team-high eight RBI and three home runs.  The Yellowjackets, one of the top home run hitting teams in the nation last year, have hit nine homers in 11 games.

Following the trip to Washington, the Jackets are scheduled to open the home schedule on March 11 against Dickinson State.  The doubleheader will begin at 1:30 p.m. at Cenex Stadium.