Yellowjackets Fall in Series Finale at Northern Colorado, 16-7

Box Score

GREELEY, Colo. – 13 runs in two innings were too much for the Montana State Billings baseball team to overcome Sunday afternoon in a 16-7 loss at Division I Northern Colorado.  With the loss, the Yellowjackets fell to 1-7 on the year, while UNC improved to 4-0.

Leading the way for the Yellowjackets was Stefan Malkuch who was 3 for 5 with a triple and a RBI.  Matt Schoonover was 2 for 3 with three runs scored and a RBI as well.  MSUB had eight hits in the game as well.

UNC banged out 16 runs on 17 hits, but committed four errors on the day leading to two unearned runs for the ‘Jackets.  All but one starter scored in the game and four players had multiple-hit games led by Erik Hansen who went 3 for 5 with five RBI and two runs scored 

Brian Strom (0-2) took the loss for the Yellowjackets in 3.2 innings of work.  He allowed seven hits, seven earned runs and five walks.  Jeff Bjorklund pitched three innings, allowing four earned runs and three hits.

Reliever Mike Cease saw his first action since Apr. 16, 2007, in a 3-2 loss to Jamestown College.  Against UNC, Cease went 1.1 innings. 

Cameron Tallman (1-0) picks up the win in relief as he went 4.0 innings, allowing one hit, two runs – one earned with three walks and three strikeouts.  Starter, Brian Sizemore, did not qualify for the win as he only went four innings, surrendering six hits, five runs – four earned, four walks and he fanned six.

Things look promising for the Yellowjackets in the first 2.5 innings as the ‘Jackets scored four runs in the first three innings.  Joe Via kicked things off with a RBI single in the first inning, scoring Bryce Thomas for a 1-0 lead.  MSUB then plated two more runs in the second on a RBI single by Jesse Finley and Malkuch scored on a fielder’s choice later in the inning.

Schoonover belted his first round-tripper of the year in the third to give the Yellowjackets a 4-0 lead.  Schoonover entered the game hitting just .059 on the year (1 for 17) and no extra-base hits.  His home run was his second hit of the day.

Things took a turn for the worse in the bottom of the third as UNC plated five runs to take a 5-4 lead, highlighted by an Erik Hansen grand slam and an Andy Mees RBI single.

A RBI sacrifice bunt by Thomas stopped the bleeding in the fourth and evened the game at five, but two more Bear runs in the bottom half put the home team up for good, courtesy of a sacrifice fly and a RBI single.

MSUB cut the deficit to 7-6 in the top of the fifth with a RBI triple by Malkuch, but was stranded after two strikeouts to end the threat. 

Northern Colorado batted around in the seventh, plating eight runs to take command of the game, 15-6.  Five of the first six batters reached base in the inning, including two, two RBI singles.

The fourth error of the game on the Bears led to the seventh run of the game for MSUB as Levi Johnson reached on a fielding error by the second baseman, scoring Patch Wirtzberger.

Erik Hegsted pushed the lead to 16-7 in the bottom of the eighth with a RBI single to short.  MSUB could not get anything going in the ninth.

Big innings have been the Achilles Heel for the Yellowjackets this season.  In all but one of the Yellowjacket losses this season, MSUB has surrendered three or more runs in a specific inning that led to the loss.

The Yellowjackets have a short turnaround as they return home and then Wednesday head to Phoenix, Ariz., for a four game series with Grand Canyon and a neutral site four game series with the University of Mary over spring break.