Yellowjackets Travel to Western Oregon After Flip-Flopping Series

BILLINGS, Mont. – The Montana State Billings baseball team heads to Western Oregon this week after the series with the Wolves was flip-flopped due to unplayable field conditions and the possibility of more snow later in the week in Billings.  The Yellowjackets and Wolves square-off Friday at 12 p.m. Pacific time for a doubleheader followed by a doubleheader on Saturday at 12 p.m. 

MSUB hasn’t played a game since Mar. 21 had its midweek games versus Colorado Christian cancelled Tuesday and Wednesday due to unplayable field conditions.  The Yellowjackets stand at 14-14 overall and are one game behind WOU in the standings with an 8-4 record.  The Wolves enter the series with a 14-7-1 record overall and a 7-1-1 mark in conference play.

Leading the way for MSUB this season is Stefan Malkuch who leads the team with a .432 average.  He is tied with Nick Harris (.409 BA) for the team lead in hits (38).  Malkuch leads the team with seven doubles, two triples and has one home run.  He has a team-high 21 RBIs on the year, too.  In addition, Malkuch leads the team in slugging at a .591 clip and has an on-base percentage of .474.  Harris is second on the team in average and has five doubles, one triple and 16 RBI and has just two errors at the hot corner.

As a team, the Yellowjackets are hitting .301 on the year through 28 games. MSUB has 58 extra-base hits, including 40 doubles, six triples and 12 home runs.  The ‘Jackets have 151 RBIs on the year and are slugging just south of .400.

On the mound, the Yellowjackets are led by Steve Scott who has a 3-2 record and a 3.89 ERA in seven starts.  He has two complete games and one shutout.  Scott leads the team in innings pitched with 41.2 and has 25 strikeouts to just seven walks on the year.  Brian Howe is second on the team in innings pitched with 39.  Howe has a 2-3 record and a 4.15 ERA in seven appearances with three complete games.  Howe leads the team in strikeouts with 33.  Malkuch, Cody Clark and Mike Cease each have one save in relief.

As a staff, MSUB boasts a 4.97 ERA compared to a 5.25 ERA for its opponents.  The Yellowjackets have surrendered 155 runs thus far and 40 unearned runs on 46 errors.  MSUB has 154 strikeouts on the year to 81 walks.  Opponents are hitting .283 against Yellowjacket pitching.

In the home opener (Mar. 20-21), the Yellowjackets struggled and dropped three of four to visiting Saint Martin’s.  MSUB struggled in the field committing 12 errors during the four game series after committing just 21 during the previous 16 games (12-4).  The 12 errors led to 15 unearned runs during the series with the Saints. 
Offensively, the Yellowjackets shined with a .352 average and 50 hits during the series.  However, MSUB left 33 on base and hit into four critical double plays.  Chris Round had three home runs during the series and Joe Via had two.  As a team, MSUB had just 13 extra-base hits on 50 total hits. 

The staff held the Saints to just a .276 average, but the unearned runs and walks really hurt.  MSUB hurlers threw 19 walks, but did strikeout 27 during the series.  Jeff Bjorklund played in two games and went 8.2 innings. He struck out 10 while walking just two to lead the team.  Howe earned the only win for the Yellowjackets going five innings, scattering five hits, four runs – two earned, four walks and four strikeouts.

Western Oregon enters the week as the league’s hottest team.  The Wolves are 7-1 in league play and currently are ranked No. 43 in the latest Collegiate Baseball Poll.   The Wolves are led by Thomas McCarthy who leads the team with a .500 average in 17 games.  He is third on the team in hits with 27 and has five doubles and one home run.  He is slugging a team-best .648 and has just one error on the field in 119 chances (.992).  Jason Moseby is second on the team in average at a .396 clip.  Travis Fox leads the squad with 34 hits and has a team-high nine doubles. 

Reining GNAC Player of the Week, Justin Speer dominated the Crusaders and Wildcats.  He batted .421 with three doubles, two home runs and 11 RBIs.  Speer is second in hits with 30 and leads the GNAC and team with 24 RBI.  He also has four round-trippers on the year. 

As a team, WOU has eight players hitting .300 or better.  The team is hitting .324 on the year with 75 extra-base hits, including 53 doubles, two triples and 20 home runs through 22 games.  WOU is slugging .477 and has an on-base percentage of .397.  The Wolves have committed 34 errors for a .959 fielding percentage.

On the bump, WOU is led by Jacob Pettit who carries a 4-0 record and a 3.24 ERA in six games with five starts.  He is second on the team in innings pitched at a 33.1 clip.  Blake Keitzman leads the team in innings pitched (37) and has 39 strikeouts to just 10 walks.  Opponents are hitting just .241 against him.  Keitzman has a 1-0 record in seven starts. 

As a staff, the Wolves boast a 4.38 ERA while and their opponents have a 6.76 ERA through 22 games.  WOU has 137 strikeouts on the year to just 67 walks.  The staff has allowed just 22 unearned runs on the year in 34 errors. 

WOU leads the all-time series 8-1, including 3-1 in Monmouth.  MSUB won a 4-3 decision at WOU last year in the second to last game of the season for the first win in the series.