Yellowjackets Take Three of Four From Northwest Nazarene

Game One

Game Two

Photo Gallery

BILLINGS, Mont. – The Montana State Billings baseball team split a doubleheader Saturday afternoon taking three of four from visiting Northwest Nazarene with a 6-1 win in the opener and NNU won the nightcap 5-2.  With the split, MSUB stands at 17-19 overall and 11-9 in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference, while NNU is 11-20 and 5-15 in conference play.

In the bottom of the first, all nine batters came to the plate for the Yellowjackets as they plated five runs courtesy of four singles, a RBI walk and a RBI wild pitch.  The first four batters reached base for MSUB, courtesy of two singles and two walks.  Joe Via scored the first run on a bases loaded walk, followed by a single through the left side by Jeff Ridgeway.

MSUB added to its lead in the second as Via doubled to center, scoring Andrew Hernandez from second who stole his second base of the season.

NNU put together a couple of hits to begin the fourth inning, bringing up Connor Rankin who tried for the sacrifice fly to score Tyler Nicholson from third, but Nicholson was ruled to have left third base early before Patch Wirtzberger caught the ball.  After a discussion between NNU head coach, Tim Onofrei and the umpires, Onofrei was ejected from the game. 

The Crusaders got on the board in the top of the seventh as Rankin reached after being plunked by the Brian Howe offering to begin the inning.  Howe retired the next two batters, but Cory Warburton put down a nice bunt up the third base line advancing Rankin into scoring position.  Jimmy VanBeek drove him in on a bloop single for a 6-1 score.

For the game, Howe went the distance with a four-hitter for his fourth win of the season (4-3).  He allowed just one earned run and walked five.  Pryor and Hernandez each had two hits to lead the team.  Via and Levi Johnson each had two RBI.

MSUB’s defense also played a big part in the opener as it turned three key double plays to help Howe and preserve the victory.

NNU opened the scoring in the night cap as Warburton reached on a lead-off walk, followed later by another walk and a double from Ty Windall for a 1-0 lead in the top of the second.

The lead was short lived as MSUB came right back in the bottom half of the second and took the lead as Johnson began the inning with a walk, Chris Round reached on the first of two costly miscues by NNU.  Later, Pryor reached on an error by the shortstop as a run scored to tie the game.  Pryor then made a move for second and Round went home for the second run, while Pryor was caught in a run down for a 2-1 lead.

Two singles and a hit batsman loaded the bases for NNU in the fourth as Sean McDonald blined a bases-clearing triple to dead center for a 4-2 lead.  The Crusaders had a chance to increase their lead in the fifth, loading the bases.  Yellowjacket starter, Steve Scott, left the after recording the first two outs as reliever Jeff Bjorklund came in and pitched to one batter.  The Yellowjacket defense once again came up big as Round made a diving catch in shallow right field to end the inning.

NNU increased its lead in the sixth as McDonald reached on a hit batsman and stole second.  Joel Oliver lined a single to left, scoring McDonald from second for a 5-2 lead and that would be the final.

MSUB had just five hits in the nightcap led by a 2 for 3 performance from Malkuch.  Both Yellowjacket runs were unearned and not RBIs.  Steve Scott (3-4) takes the loss in 4.2 innings of work.  He allowed seven hits, four earned runs, four walks and he fanned one. 

McDonald led the way for the Crusaders with a 1 for 4 outing and three RBI.  Oliver was 2 for 4 with a RBI and Windall was 2 for 5 with a RBI.  Charles Pollock (2-1) went the distance, scattering five hits, two runs – both unearned, four walks and three strikeouts.

MSUB continues its home stand Friday versus Central Washington at 3 p.m. at Dehler Park.