March 26, 2008          

Four Home Runs Highlight 11-10 Sweep of Colorado Christian

BILLINGS, Mont. –A school-record four home runs highlighted an 11-10 victory over Colorado Christian Wednesday afternoon at Pirtz Field. The Montana State Billings Yellowjackets improved to 7-16 on the year with the three-game sweep, while CCU falls to 9-20.
“Offensively we put up 11 runs and hit the ball pretty well and got the win,” head coach Chris Brown said. “We played pretty well in the field and now have won three straight.”

The Jackets got on the board first in the bottom of the second as Matt Kakalecik reached on an error, followed by a sacrifice bunt from Jonathan Schlender and a two run home run to deep center field by Joe Via for a 2-0 lead. It was Via’s first home run of the season.

MSUB pitcher retired the first seven Cougars, but a walk and two singles loaded the bases for CCU with one out in the third. Clark hit Daniel Castillo to score the first run. Chris Guyer tied the score with an infield single. Chris Polton grounded into the 643 double play to end the inning with the score tied at two.

The Jackets loaded the bases in third and Schlender lined a RBI single down to third giving the Yellowjackets a 3-2 lead. Moments later, Tyler Nelson blasted a grand slam to left field increasing the lead to 7-2. It was the first grand slam of the season for MSUB and the second home run of the game.

Cole Pryor led-off the fourth with a triple and later scored on a wild pitch for an 8-2 lead.  Levi Johnson got into the home run act with a solo shot to left field for a 9-2 lead. The nine runs scored are the most for the Yellowjackets in a game this season.
The Cougars responded in the fifth as leadoff hitter Chad Barnhill hit a two run home run to left field, cutting the deficit to 9-4. It was his second round-tripper of the season.

Via launched his second home run of the game, another two run shot and became the first Yellowjacket to hit two home runs in the same game since baseball returned as a sport in 2006.

The Cougars continued to fight as scratched out a run in the sixth as Bud Wilborn opened the inning with a double and scored on a single by Chad Meske. CCU added another run as Daniel Kirschler lined a double down the left field line for an 11-6 score.

Colorado Christian loaded the bases in the top of the seventh and scored two runs, one on a double and the other on a hit batsmen for an 11-8 score. The Yellowjackets brought in reliever Andy Barham, the fourth pitcher of the day. Barham walked the first batter he faced, making the score 11-9. He then got out of the inning with a lineout as the Cougars scored three runs in the inning on one hit.
CCU cut the deficit to one run with a bloop-single in the top of the eighth for an 11-10 score and scored its sixth unanswered run to get back in the game. Yellowjacket head coach Chris Brown brought in his fifth pitcher of the game, Jeremy Knowles who got a ground ball out to get out of the inning.

Knowles pitched the ninth, retiring the side in order to pick up his first save of the season.

Via and Nelson led the team with 2 for 4 performances and four RBI each. Clark improved to 2-1 on the year in five innings of work, allowing five hits, four earned runs, two walks and two strikeouts.

The 11 hits by MSUB tied the season-high and the four home runs are the most in a game since baseball was brought back in 2006. The Jackets’ last grand slam came in the season finale last year against St. Edward’s as Josh Wiley went deep on May 8, 2007.
MSUB returns to conference action this weekend as it travels to Nampa, Idaho for a four-game series with Northwest Nazarene, beginning Friday at 4 p.m.