Yellowjackets Go The Distance in Sweep of Crusaders

Game 1
Game 2

NAMPA, Idaho – For the first time since 2007, the Montana State Billings baseball team swept a four-game conference series with a 6-4 victory and a 4-1 win at Northwest Nazarene.  The Yellowjackets improved to 10-10 on the year and 4-0 in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference.  NNU fell to 6-9 and 0-4 in conference play.  MSUB last swept a conference series when it was in the Heartland Conference at Oklahoma Panhandle State, Mar. 9-10, 2007.

“This was a huge weekend for us,” head coach Chris Brown said.  “It was a great way to start out in conference play and we went 9-3 on the road trip.”

In the opener, the Yellowjackets loaded the bases in the top of the first, but were unable to get anything across.  NNU scored one run in the bottom half for the early 1-0 lead, courtesy of a double and a RBI single.

Brian Dukart scored the equalizing run in the top of the second and Chris Round scored on a passed ball for a 2-1 lead.  MSUB added a run in the third on a Stephen Malkuch double to right field for a 3-1 advantage.

MSUB tacked two more runs on in the sixth on a single by Dukart and an error scoring Patch Wirtzberger who reached on an error. 

NNU cut the deficit to 5-2 in the bottom of the sixth on a wild pitch, but MSUB added its sixth run in the eighth as Round hit his first home run as a Yellowjacket for a 6-2 lead.  The Crusaders added two runs in the bottom of the ninth for a 6-4 score.

The Yellowjackets continue their solid pitching as Archie Smith went the distance, scattering six hits, four runs – three earned, one walk and 10 strikeouts.  Offensively, the Yellowjackets were led by Malkuch who went 3 for 5 with one RBI.  Round went 2 for 3 with three runs scored and one RB I, while Matt Schoonover was 2 for 5 with a run scored.

“Our starting pitching did a phenomenal job this week with three complete games,” Brown added.  “We pitched well, hit well and fielded well and hopefully it will set a tone for the rest of the conference season.”

The pitching prowess continued into the second game as Steve Scott followed Smith’s lead with another complete game performance.  Scott allowed one earned run, four hits and four strikeouts in a 4-1 victory.  For the series, MSUB had three complete game performances as Brian Howe went all nine innings in the opening game of the series yesterday.  MSUB held NNU to just .176 hitting on 21 of 119 for the series and allowed just 10 runs, while scoring 24.  The Yellowjackets had a 2.25 ERA during the series, while NNU carted a 4.22 ERA.

Offensively in the nightcap, Malkuch continued his hot bat as he hit a 3-run home run in the top of the first for a 3-0 lead.  NNU got on the board in the bottom of the fourth with one run on a home run by Joel Oliver.  MSUB added another run in the fifth on a bases loaded hit batsman as Schoonover was plunked by the pitch.

Malkuch was one of four Yellowjackets with hits in the game as he was 1 for 3 with a run scored and three RBI.  Malkuch went 7 of 16 in the series for a team-best .438 average.  He had three doubles, one home run and eight RBI to lead the team as well.

The Yellowjackets complete the 12-game road trip with a 9-3 record and now travel to Central Washington next weekend for a four-game conference series, beginning Friday at 1 p.m. Pacific time.  MSUB’s home opener is scheduled for Mar. 31 with a doubleheader versus Colorado Christian, beginning at 3 p.m. at Dehler Park.