Baseball Drops Twin Bill to Saint Martin’s, 7-6 and 15-10

Game One

Game Two

BILLINGS, Mont. – Late inning runs proved to be the difference as visiting Saint Martin’s opened a four-game series at Montana State Billings Saturday afternoon with a doubleheader sweep, 7-6 and 15-10.  With the losses, the Yellowjackets fell to 8-22 on the year and 7-11 in Great Northwest Athletic Conference play.  The Saints improved to 12-18 and 7-8 in league play.

The Jackets were led by Sam Kinseler and Jaret Chatwood who each had four hits in the doubleheader as MSUB hit .394 as a team on 26 hits and 16 runs scored.  SMU was led by Josh Grenier and Luke Abbott as each had five hits on the day.  Abbott led the way with five RBI and Grenier led the team in runs scored with four.

After SMU opened game one with a run in the first, the Yellowjackets came right back with three runs in the first two innings courtesy of a pair of RBI sacrifice flies by Chatwood and Patch Wirtzberger and a RBI triple from Kinzeler for a 3-1 lead.

The Saints cut the deficit to 3-2 in the fourth on an RBI single by Grenier, but five runs in the final three innings gave the Saints a 7-3 lead heading into the bottom of the ninth.

MSUB came roaring back in its last at bat as Kinseler began the inning with a single up the middle.  Later in the inning, a two RBI double by Brian Dukart plated Blake Nelson and Chris Stine.  A Ryan Dennehy RBI single up the middle scored Dukart for a 7-6 deficit with one out. 

Chatwood doubled to left as Dennehy was waived home.  SMU left fielder, Matt Marcoe, made a great relay throw to third baseman Grenier who gunned Dennehy down at the plate for the third and final out to preserve the 7-6 victory.

Jacob Vulk (0-5) took the loss as he went 6.1 innings, allowing four hits, four earned runs with five walks and five strikeouts.  Kaleb Wilson (2-2) earns the victory in relief of starter Casey Mitchell.  Mitchell went six innings allowing six hits, three earned runs and he fanned four.  Thomas DeBoer picks up the save in 0.2 innings.

The nightcap looked promising as MSUB plated four runs in the first off SMU starter Michael McIver.  An RBI single by Chris Round got things started, followed by a sacrifice fly from Nelson and Ty Sobieraj singled to left, plating two runs courtesy of a Saint miscue for a 4-1 lead.

SMU tied it up in the second with three runs, but the Jackets had the answer in the bottom of the frame as Chatwood scored Dukart for a 5-4 score.  Each teams added a run in the third, as SMU scored five times in the middle frames, while MSUB plated four runs for a 10-10 score going into the seventh.

The Saints plated five runs in the top of the seventh highlighted by an Andrew Elke two RBI single up the middle and two runs scored on wild pitches for a 15-10 victory.

Brian Hutchings (0-2) took the loss in relief of Yellowjacket starter Kody Kennedy who went four innings allowing seven hits, seven earned runs, six walks and four strikeouts.  Hutchings surrendered three hits on five earned runs in just 0.2 innings.  McIver went 3.1 innings, allowing 11 hits, six runs – four earned, one walk and he fanned three.  Kaleb Wilson (2-2) picked up the victory in relief.

The two teams complete the four game series tomorrow at 1 p.m. at Dehler Park.