Yellowjackets Travel to Northern Colorado for Three Game Series

BILLINGS, Mont. – The Montana State Billings baseball team dips out of Great Northwest Athletic Conference action this weekend as it travels to Division I Northern Colorado for a three game series beginning Friday at 2 p.m. in Greeley, Colorado.  The Yellowjackets enter the series with an 8-17 record overall, while UNC is 4-15.  The Jackets and the Bears are no strangers to each other as they have played the previous two seasons.

Leading the way for the Yellowjackets is Jordan Kessler who has played and started in 19 games this season.  He leads the team and the conference in batting average at a .412 clip.  He has 28 hits on the year, which is good for second on the team, six doubles, one home run and 17 RBIs.  The Jackets have eight players hitting .300 or better.  Jaret Chatwood leads the team with nine doubles, tied for the team-high in triples with one and leads the team with three home runs and a team-best 21 RBI.  He is slugging a team-best .600 on the year and has an on base percentage of .400.

As a team, the Jackets upped their batting average to over .300 this past weekend as they hit .383 in  a four-game series versus Central Washington.  MSUB has 234 hits on the year with 52 doubles, four triples and 11 home runs for 67 extra-base hits. The Jackets are slugging .423 and have an on-base percentage of .366. 

On the mound, the Jackets are led by Kody Kennedy who is 3-1 on the year with a 5.97 ERA.  He is tied for the most wins in the GNAC.  Kennedy leads the team with 28.2 innings pitched in five starts.  He has two complete games and one combined shutout.  In addition, he leads the team with 29 strikeouts and opponents are hitting just .192 against him.  Kyle Gieselman is 2-0 on the year in 20 innings with a team-high nine appearances and one start.

As a staff, the Jackets carry an 8.85 ERA into this weekend’s games.  They have pitched 181 innings surrendering 266 hits, 230 runs with 178 earned and have 136 strikeouts to 122 walks.  Teams are hitting .333 against MSUB and the Jackets have committed 49 errors leading to 52 unearned runs.

The Bears enter the series on a five-game skid and have lost 11 of their last 12.  The lone win was a 10-9 victory over South Dakota State, Mar. 21.  During their five-game skid, the Bears have been outscored 63-20 with three losses at Utah and two midweek losses at Nebraska.

Leading the way for the Bears this season is Mark Shannon who leads the team with a .333 average.  He has 14 hits on the year with two doubles, two triples and one home run.  Shannon is slugging .548 on the year and has an on-base percentage of .391.  Seth Budde leads the team with 20 hits and 18 RBI, while Kyle Hardman leads the team with three home runs.

Offensively, the Bears have struggled this season as they are hitting just .266 in 19 games.  They have 185 hits with 45 extra-base hits and are slugging just .374.

On the bump, the Bears are led by Joe Willman who leads the starters with a 5.40 ERA.  He has pitched a team-high 31.2 innings with 16 strikeouts and 10 walks.  He carries a 1-3 record in five starts with one complete game.  Joe Sawicki is 1-2 on the year with a 7.33 ERA in 27 innings, while Shannon is 0-1 in 23.2 innings with an 8.75 ERA.

As a staff, the Bears carry an 8.39 ERA in 166.1 innings and have allowed 184 runs with 155 earned, 101 walks and have fanned 83.  Opponents are hitting .351 against UNC.  32 errors have led to 29 unearned runs.

Northern Colorado leads the all-time series 7-0, but the Yellowjackets have had their chances but have been unable to close the door. In the first game last season, MSUB lead going into the bottom of the ninth, but surrendered the game-winning run. 

After the series, MSUB returns home to host Saint Martin’s Apr. 10 at 3 p.m. at Dehler Park to begin a stretch of 16-straight home games to conclude the 2010 home slate.