Yellowjacket Baseball Splits with Devils (2/20/07)
Box Score 1
Box Score 2

LAREDO, TX – The Montana State-Billings baseball team used a seven-run third inning to take game one 8-5 over Texas A&M – International Tuesday in Laredo, Texas.  The Yellowjackets dropped game two 5-2 after giving up five runs to the Dustedevils in the sixth inning.  The Jackets are 2-4 overall and 1-3 in the Heartland Conference while the Devils improved to 14-3.

The Yellowjackets and Dustdevils were tied at one run apiece until the third inning when the Jackets blew the game open scoring seven runs.  Doug Longfellow (Lewistown, MT) singled to right field and advanced to second on a Dustedevils’ wild pitch.  Nick Hoskyn (Oelwein, IA) was walked.  Both Hoskyn and Longfellow stole their base and a miss-throw by the Devils allowed Longfellow to score.  Four Yellowjackets stole bases in the inning and Willie Crtalic (Billings, MT), Jordan Shine (Great Falls, MT), Seth Moir (Cody, WY), Mike Cease (Deer Lodge, MT), and Kyle Slater (Missoula, MT) all scored runs.

The Dustdevils scored two runs in the fifth inning to get within four runs of the lead.  A Yellowjacket pitching change shut the Devils down keeping them scoreless.

Steve Scott (Billings, MT) earned the win for the Yellowjackets allowing five runs off six hits in 4.2 innings pitched.  Scott stuck out four batters.  Casey Miller (Miles City, MT) pitched 2.1 innings allowing no runs and just one hit in picking up the save.  Pryor went 1-for-3 with two RBI.  Moir went 1-for-2 and scored two runs for the Jackets.

“We were able to hang on for the win,” said Yellowjacket head coach Chris Brown.  “Steve gave us a chance to win and did a great job on the mound for us.  We had a big inning and it was enough in game one.”

In game two, the Yellowjackets and Devils were scoreless through two innings.  In the top of the third, Pryor and Hoskyn singled and advanced a base to stand at second and third.  A Dustdevils’ error scored Pryor and Hoskyn advanced to third on a wild pitch.  Crtalic’s sacrifice fly scored Hoskyn.  That proved to be the only runs scored by the Yellowjacets through the remainder of the ball game.  Kept scoreless through five innings, the Devils used a five-run sixth inning to pull ahead of the Yellowjackets for the win.

Hoskyn went 2-for-3, scoring one run for the Jackets.  Crtalic drove in MSUB’s lone RBI of the game.  Brian Strom (Littleton, CO) was handed the loss allowing three runs off five hits in 5.1 innings.  Strom struck out three batters. 

“We were flat in the second game,” added Brown.  “Brian pitched his heart out and threw for zeros until the fifth innings.  You can’t ask for more from a starting pitcher.”

The Yellowjackets are set to play a four-game series against top 25 team St. Mary’s University (6-2, 4-0) February 21 and 22.  All four games will be Heartland Conference counters.