Baseball Returns to the Road at Preseason GNAC Favorite Western Oregon

BILLINGS, Mont. – The Montana State Billings baseball team returns to the road this week as it travels to Great Northwest Athletic Conference preseason favorite, Western Oregon, for a four game series.  The first game is scheduled for Friday, March 12 at 12 p.m. Pacific time.  The Yellowjackets enter the week with a 3-10 record overall and a 2-2 mark in the GNAC.  WOU enters with an 8-9 record overall and a 3-1 mark in the conference.

MSUB is coming of a four game split at Saint Martin’s this past weekend.  Prior to last weekend, MSUB had won just one time in Lacey in school history, which was Apr. 25, 2009, with an 8-3 victory.  MSUB was just 2-13 all-time versus the Saints entering the series.

SMU opened the series with an extra-inning walk-off win for a 7-6 score in 10 innings.  MSUB held a 2-0 lead through three innings, but the middle frames proved to be the difference as the Saints plated five runs in the middle innings.  The Jackets battled back to tie with three runs in the seventh, but a run by SMU in the eighth put the Saints back in front.  MSUB tied the game in the ninth, but the Saints benefitted from a walk, hit batsmen and an error followed by a RBI single for the game winner.

Despite the third, last-inning, walk-off loss, the Yellowjackets continued to fight and put together their most dominating pitching performance of the season and possibly their best defensive performance of the year in the nightcap.  GNAC Pitcher of the Week, Kody Kennedy, went six innings and struck out a season-high 13 Saints in a 1-0 victory.  He benefitted from a Jeff Ridgeway RBI single in the third and fanned eight of the first 11 SMU batters in the game.  Archie Smith picked up the save as the game was delayed to Sunday due to darkness.  The Jackets held SMU to just two hits.

SMU won the first game on Sunday 10-5, but the Yellowjackets came right back in the fourth game, plating three runs in the first inning and won 7-1 for the series split.

Leading the way for the Yellowjackets this season is Kevin Zukaitis who leads the team with a .545 average in seven games.  Jordan Kessler is second in average at .462 in eight starts, while Matt Schoonover has a .366 average.  He is one of just two Yellowjackets who have played and started all 13 games.  Schoonover leads the team with 15 hits.  Kessler leads the team with seven RBI, while Zukaitis leads the team with two home runs.  Three different Yellowjackets have five doubles on the year and Jaret Chatwood has the lone triple. 

As a team, the Yellowjackets are hitting .302 as a team, while the opponents are hitting .306.  MSUB is slugging .394 on the year and has an on-base percentage of .359.  MSUB has committed 24 errors on the year leading to 18 unearned runs.

On the hill, the Yellowjackets are led by Smith who is 1-1 on the year with four appearances and three starts.  He carries a team-best 3.18 ERA in 17 innings with one complete game and one save.  Kennedy (1-0) leads the team with 16 strikeouts and opponents are hitting just .103 against him.

As a staff, MSUB carries a 7.89 ERA in 89 innings with 96 runs and 78 earned.  The Jackets have 62 walks and 86 strikeouts on the year.  Conversely, the opponents have a 3.95 ERA in 98 innings with 49 runs and 43 earned.  MSUB has walked just 28 times on the year and struck out 72.  The competition has committed 11 errors leading to six unearned runs.

Western Oregon is led by Kyle Boe who leads the team with a .355 average.  He and GNAC Player of the Week, Cesar Lopez, lead the team with 22 hits each.  They both are tied for second on the team with 13 RBIs.  Lopez and Logan Lotti lead the team with five home runs each, while Lotti leads the squad with 14 RBI. 

As a team, the Wolves are hitting .277 on the year with 150 hits and 52 extra base hits.  They have 25 doubles on the year, one triple and 26 home runs.  WOU is slugging .471 on the year and has an on-base percentage of 374. The Wolves are 19 of 24 in stolen bases and have 20 errors on the year leading to 17 unearned runs.

On the bump, the Wolves are led by three players who have pitched 20 or more innings thus far.  Michael Ward leads the way with a 2.57 ERA and a 2-1 record in four starts.  He leads the team with 28 innings pitched and has 17 strikeouts as teams are hitting just .194 against him. Jacob Pettit carries a 3.54 ERA and a 2-1 record in four starts and 20.1 innings pitched, while Blake Keitzman is 2-1 on the year with an 8.10 ERA in 20 innings.  Keitzman leads the team with 22 strikeouts.

As a staff the Wolves have a 6.21 ERA in 133.1 innings with three complete games and four saves.  They have allowed 168 hits, with 109 runs and 92 earned runs.  WOU has walked 61 and struck out 103.  Conversely, the opponents carry a 5.79 ERA in 140 innings and have allowed WOU batters 150 hits, 103 runs – 90 earned with 51 walks and 108 strikeouts.

MSUB completes its road trip at Northwest Nazarene next week as the Jackets open the season with the first 21 games away from Billings.  The Yellowjackets are scheduled to open the home slate Mar. 26 versus Central Washington at 3 p.m. at Dehler Park.