Longfellow’s Walk-Off Homerun Earns Win (5/7/07)
Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score
Game Photos

BILLINGS, MT – A homerun over the centerfield fence by Montana State-Billings’ Doug Longfellow earned the Yellowjackets the 9-8 walk-off win over the visiting Hilltoppers Monday at Cobb Field.  The Yellowjackets improved to 23-25 overall and 15-19 in league play while St. Edward’s University dropped to 42-12 and 30-8.  With a Heartland Conference title looming overhead, the Hilltoppers will need a split with the Jackets on Tuesday to earn the conference title outright over St. Mary’s University, and the automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.

A pitching debacle by St. Edward’s in the first inning allowed the Yellowjackets four runs off just one hit to take the 4-0 lead to open the late game.  Scoreless through four innings, the Hilltoppers came alive plating three runners in the fifth and four in the sixth to take a 7-4 lead over the Jackets. 

In the top of the seventh, the Hilltoppers looked like they were going to take the come-from-behind win over MSUB adding one more run to hold an 8-4 lead, but in a cruel twist of fate against the Toppers, the Yellowjackets scored five runs in the bottom of the inning to take the 9-8 win.

In the seventh, Will Crtalic’s (Billings, MT) double to center field plated Nick Hoskyn (Oelwein, IA) and pinch runner Mike Cease (Deer Lodge, MT) to bring the lead within three.  With two outs, Doug Longfellow (Lewistown, MT) drilled a game-winning three-run home run over the centerfield fence sending the Yellowjackets’ bench into a cheering frenzy.

Crtalic went 2-for-3 with one run, two doubles, and a career-high four RBIs in the game.  Longfellow went 2-for-4 scoring one run and three RBIs off his second home run of the season.  Jon Clark (Anaconda, MT) picked up the win allowing one run off one hit in one inning on the mound.

Brian Jackson went 2-for-3 scoring two runs and two RBIs for the Hilltoppers.  Josh Dale took the loss allowing five runs, none earned, in 2/3 of an inning.

The early game saw the Yellowjackets shut out by the Hilltoppers’ Patrick Colgan.  Colgan improved to 12-0 on the season scattering just four Yellowjacket hits in pitching the complete game.  He struck out six in the effort and walked only one batter. 

The Hilltoppers scored runs in five of the seven innings with Chris Dinges and Yannick Bergeron each hitting a homerun in the game.  Brian Thomas went 1-for-3 with two runs and two RBIs.

Four different Yellowjackets had a hit in the game as Kyle McBride (Billings, MT) took the loss on the mound for the Jackets.  McBride allowed six runs off four hits in five innings of work.  He walked three and struck out five.

The Yellowjackets and Hilltoppers meet again Tuesday, May 8 for the Jackets’ final doubleheader of the season.  First pitch is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. at Cobb Field.