MSUB Softball Splits at CWU Invite (3/2/07)
Game 1 box score
Game 2 box score

RICHLAND, WA – The Montana State-Billings softball team won its third-straight game at the Central Washington Invitational on Friday afternoon, defeating Western Washington 3-1.  The Yellowjackets were unable to capture the elusive fourth win in a row, however, falling 6-3 to host Central Washington in the nightcap.  The Yellowjackets, who started the season 1-7, are now 7-9 after winning six of their last eight games.  They have had two three-game winning streaks during that span.

“We came into this tournament with mentality that this is going to be our new conference,” said Yellowjacket head coach Kim Lemmens about the games against Great Northwest Athletic Conference schools.  “This is our opportunity to show them what we have to offer.  Winning three of four games so far is promising.”

Against Western Washington, the Yellowjackets were held in check for five innings by Nicole Walker, who took a 1-0 lead into the sixth inning.  The Vikings scored an unearned run in the top of the fourth inning.  MSU Billings put three runs on the board in the bottom of the sixth and held on for their sixth win in the last seven games.

Terina Stacks (Washougal, WA) was once again the star of the game for the Yellowjackets.  The sophomore hurler scattered five hits over seven innings without allowing an earned run, improving her season record to 3-1.  Stacks was also the hero at the plate, blasting a two-run home run in the Jackets’ three-run sixth inning. 

Stacks’s homer, her third of the year, brought home Stephanie Rinehart (Gig Harbor, WA), whose infield single led off the inning.  Following the home run, Aysha Maddox (Richland, WA) singled to right field and was put out at second on a fielder’s choice by Jessica Frank (Great Falls, MT).  Frank then stole second and scored on a Steph Gosselin (Victoria, BC) single to center field.

Maddox was 2-for-3 at the plate.  The senior catcher from Richland is playing the final tournament of her career in her hometown and is batting .500 through the first two days of the tourney.  Rinehart, Stacks, Frank, and Gosselin each had a hit apiece to account for the Jackets’ six hits in the game.

In the final game of the day, the Yellowjackets and Central Washington were each burned by errors.  Half of CWU’s six runs were unearned, and all three of MSUB’s runs were unearned.  Rebekah Tsatsa (Eagle, ID) went the distance for the Jackets, giving up eight hits and three earned runs in seven innings.  She struck out three and walked two in falling to 2-4.

The Wildcats scored four runs in the first inning aided by a leadoff walk and two errors.  After the Yellowjackets drew within 4-3 in the bottom of the third, Central Washington tacked on runs in the fifth and sixth innings for breathing room.

Stacks and Leslie Davis (Federal Way, WA) accounted for all four hits given up by Wildcat starter Linse Vlahovich.  Stacks was 2-for-4 with a run scored.  She is batting .467 at the tournament and .373 for the season.  Davis went 2-for-3 with a run, an RBI, and a double.  Vlahovich allowed just four hits in seven innings of work, but was plagued by five Wildcat errors.  CWU’s Johnson went 2-for-3 with two doubles and two RBI.

The Jackets wrap up pool play on Saturday against St. Martin’s (1-5) and Seattle University (8-7.).  Seattle was ranked 22nd in the nation in the NFCA preseason poll, but was blasted 10-0 on Friday by Western Oregon, which entered the day without a win.  MSU Billings, Central Washington, and Seattle are the only three teams at 3-1 after two days at the tourney.  Sunday will be bracket play at the tournament.