Yellowjackets Explode for Season-High 17 Hits in a 14-9 Win at Grand Canyon

Box Score

PHOENIX, Ariz. – Saturday the tables turned as it was the Montana State Billings baseball team that had the big innings in a 14-9 win at Grand Canyon in the opener of a doubleheader.  In two innings, the Yellowjackets scored nine runs, including five runs in the seventh to break open a 9-8 game.  Senior Joe Via led the way with a 4 for 5 game, including a two run home run.

The Yellowjackets (3-8) banged out a season-high 17 hits and did not commit an error for the third time this season.  Via led the way with four hits, including two doubles and a home run and four RBI.  Stefan Malkuch also went 4 for 5 and Brian Dukart went 3 for 5 with two RBI and three runs scored.  Eight different Yellowjackets had at least one hit in the game.

Jeff Bjorklund (2-1) picked up the victory in relief of Brian Strom.  Bjorklund went 2.1 innings, allowing five hits, three earned runs, two walks and one strikeout.  Strom went 3.1 innings, surrendering four hits, five earned runs, three walks and two strikeouts.  Closer, Mike Cease, picked up the save.  He went 1.1 innings and allowed one hit, one earned run and he walked two. 

MSUB opened the game with three runs in the first inning on five hits, highlighted by Dukart’s double to left field as he picked up where he left off in yesterday’s second game.  A Via double to left field followed and a Matt Schoonover two run single to right put the Yellowjackets up 3-0.

The lead was short lived, however as the ‘Lopes evened the score in the bottom half of the first on a two RBI double to center and a RBI groundout. GCU added two more runs in the third for a 5-3 lead as P.J. Garcia homered to lead off the inning.  Later, Jay Green scored on a wild pitch for the second run. 

The Yellowjackets plated four runs in the fourth as Andrew Hernandez led off the inning with a double to left center and advanced to third on a balk.  Dukart reached on an error, scoring Hernandez.  Later in the inning, Nick Harris hit a deep fly ball to right field scoring Dukart on a sacrifice fly.  Via then blasted his two run home run for a 7-5 lead.  In the inning, GCU committed two errors that led to all four runs being unearned.

MSUB added two more runs in the fifth on a RBI single by Patch Wirtzberger, who is the only Yellowjacket to have played in all 11 games thus far.  Later in the inning, Dukart reached on a fielder’s choice, scoring Jesse Finley who walked in his plate appearance in the inning.

Grand Canyon (5-8) wouldn’t go away quietly as it scored three runs on three hits in the bottom of the sixth to pull within 9-8, highlighted by a two RBI double by Matt Stockfisch.  The ‘Lopes could have tied the game or taken the lead as Byr Reischel reached on a fielder’s choice with the bases loaded.   However, a nice defensive play by the Yellowajckets ended the threat as Stockfisch was thrown out at home on the play to end the inning.

In the seventh, the Yellowjackets blew the game open with five runs on three hits and two costly GCU errors.  Via was the hero again as he belted another two run double to highlight the inning.

GCU scored one run in the bottom half, but left two runners on base.