Yellowjackets Tie School Record for Wins

Game 1

Game 2

NAMPA, Idaho-  Montana State Billings (27-7 GNAC, 36-12) tied a school record and took one step closer to the GNAC Championship as they swept Northwest Nazarene (5-27 GNAC, 8-37) 7-0 and 10-8 on the softball field Friday afternoon.  The Yellowjackets have tied the school record for wins at 36 set in 2005.  In addition, Central Washington split with Western Oregon giving MSUB a 1.5 game lead over CWU with eight games left.  The Jackets will play NNU, Saturday, Apr. 25 in a doubleheader starting at 1:00 p.m.

In game one, Montana State Billings got things going in the third inning.  Terina Stacks doubled to left field and moved to third on a single by Leslie Davis.  Dawn Norcross came in to run for Davis and moved to second on a walk to Steph Gosselin.

Shay Oberg singled to right field to move the runners around and score Stacks.  Kelly Parsons drew a walk with bases loaded to push Norcross across the plate.  Whitney Whittemore delivered a sacrifice fly to score Gosselin.

In the fourth inning, Stevie Howard and Stacks led off with singles.  Davis then singled to centerfield to score Howard.  Gosselin singled to load the bases for Rebekah Tsatsa who grounded out to score Stacks. The Jackets scored two runs in the seventh to seal the deal.

For MSUB, Stacks was 3-for-4 and scored three runs while Davis, Oberg and Crystal Bentley had two hits each.  Josie Grotbo (6-1) picked up her first career shutout scattering eight hits and striking out four batters.

In game two, the Yellowjackets started off in its first at bat.  Terina Stacks led off the inning with a walk.  Amanda Goings laid down a bunt that was thrown into the outfield and then the right fielder threw the ball away trying to get Goings out. 

When the dust cleared, Stacks had scored and Goings was on third.  A sacrifice fly to right field scored Goings to make it 2-0.  In the bottom of the first, Northwest Nazarene attacked.  The Crusaders used five hits and an error to score six runs.

MSUB scored a run in the third and fourth to make it 6-4.  NNU came back to score two runs in the fifth.  That made it 8-4 after five innings.  MSUB picked up a run in the sixth to close the gap to three.

Down to their last at bat, the Jackets gritted their teeth and came out swinging.  Stacks led off with a  single to center field.  Following a fly out, Gosselin and Alyssa Frank singled to load the bases.  Parsons ripped a single down the right field line to score Stacks and Gosselin and move Frank to third.

Norcross came in to run for Parsons.  Jenna VanEykeren dropped a single into left field to move Norcross to second and score Frank.  A wild pitch moved both runners one base each.  Oberg came in to run for VanEykeren. 

Following a pop out, Bobbie Lee delivered a double to left center field to score Norcross and Oberg.  That made it 10-8.  In the seventh, MSUB retired the first two batters before giving up a single.  The drama ended there as NNU hit a fly ball to right field that was caught to end the game.

Lee finished 2-for-4 and drove in three runs in the game.  Gosselin, Frank, Parsons and Howard all collected two hits apiece.  Kasie Conder (15-3) gave up three hits and struck out five batters in two and 2/3rd innings to get the win in relief.

"I've been saying it all along, you can't take any team in the GNAC lightly," said head coach Anthony Stone. "Up and down, there's just too many good players and too many good coaches. I knew this road trip was going to be pretty challenging, and so far, it's been more than that. We've sustained some very significant injuries, but we've had our underclassmen come in and do some great things for us.

"Our depth has been a big part of every win we've had this year, and today it was no doubt proof of that," added Stone. "Les hurt her leg yesterday, and that really hurts. It's tough to lose your All Conference 3rd baseman and expect to have the same high level of play there. Yet, Jenna VanEyekerenn stepped in and did well both defensively and offensively. Then Crystal Bentley fouled a ball into her nose, breaking it in 3 places. Amanda Hood takes over for her in right field and makes a catch at the fence to end the ball game. Add that to Josie shutting the NNU offense down in the first game, you can't help but wonder how good we can be in the future."

"I'm very proud of everyone on this team, especially after a 7th inning comeback from a 4 run deficit in game 2," concluded Stone. "We've done some great things this year, and I am looking forward to our last week. We just have to stay loose and keep playing hard. If we can do that, we have a pretty good shot at the post season."