Yellowjackets Softball Splits Double Dip, 3-4 and 4-2

Box Score Game 1
Box Score Game 2

BELLINGHAM, Wash. – The Montana State Billings softball team had a disappointing loss in game one of their doubleheader against Western Washington University, but bounced back to take the second game and the series on opening weekend for conference play. The Yellowjackets took three of four from the Vikings and improved to 5-4 on the season and 3-1 in Great Northwest Athletic Conference Play.

“I’m very happy that we came out of here winning three of the four games this weekend,” said head coach Anthony Stone. “Western Washington is a very scrappy team and forced us to play at a high level. We‘re glad to be heading to Western Oregon next weekend with some momentum and hope to keep improving as we go.”

The Yellowjackets had balanced hitting all day as Jenna VanEyekeren and Rachel Eisenmann were the only Jackets with multiple hits. As a team, MSUB combined for 15 hits, seven runs, stranding 11 for the day.

Sophomore Kasie Conder dropped the first decision as the Vikings got the win on a walk-off hit, but the Jacket defense had three errors in the game. Game two saw Lindsey Trenary stay unbeaten, keeping the Viking bats quite for most of the game.

Game 1, 3-4
Conder started off the game with a strong performance, retiring the first three batters on ground balls and pitching out of a pair of jams in the second and third innings. Western had the opportunity to strike first in the second inning when Meghan Flem reached on an error by Stevie Howard at second base.

Anderson then singled to center for the Vikings advancing Rothenberger to second after reaching base on a fielder’s choice. Conder ended the inning when she got a Viking batter to ground the ball back to her for the out at first.

The Yellowjackets got on the board first in the third inning when Bobbie Lee walked to start the inning. Lee then advanced to second on a sacrifice fly by Amanda Hood and then went to third on a single by Howard.

Kelly Parsons got the RBI to put the Jackets on top 1-0, hitting a single into center field to score Lee from third. It was all the Jackets could gain in the top of the frame as they grounded out to end the inning two batters later.

Western responded in the bottom of the fourth, getting a single from Rothenberger to start off the inning. She would come around to score when Western laid down a bunt that Jenna VanEyekeren picked up and threw just wide to second base, allowing Rothenberger to come around from second.

The Vikings would score two more in the inning thanks to a pair of singles that brought in two RBI and pushed the Viking lead to 3-1 after the fourth.

MSUB tied the ballgame back up at 3-3 after Becca Frank doubled into left field and was left stranded at second after back-to-back fly outs. Rachel Eisenmann came to the rescue with a double of her own that brought Frank across the plate. Eisenmann was replaced on the bases by Amanda Goings who scored on the next batter as Madison Smith drove her in with a single to left.

After the Jackets couldn’t get the offense going in the seventh, Western had one out when Rachelle Berry singled to center and Flem hit sent a Conder pitch into left for a double, bringing Berry to third. Rutherford ended the game with the next at bat, driving a pitch to center field for the game-winning RBI.

Conder (2-4) threw 6.1 innings allowing four runs, three earned, on 12 hits while striking out one. MSUB left seven runners aboard and committed three errors in the loss. The offense had eight hits with a pair of doubles in the game.

Game 2, 4-2
The Yellowjackets bounced back from their defeat in game one with four runs on seven hits, and for the second consecutive day, the defense was error free in the second game. Trenary (3-0) picked up her third victory of the season, pitching a complete game allowing two earned runs on six hits.

MSUB came out swinging in the first inning as Hood reached on an error by Erika Quint and then stole second during Howard’s plate appearance. She later scored after Howard singled to left and Whitney Whittemore hit a sacrifice fly to left to give the Jackets the 1-0 lead.

After Hoffman singled to advance Howard to second, VanEyekeren blasted a triple to right field to pick up two RBI and give the Yellowjackets the 3-0 lead at the end of the first.

Western cut into the lead in the second inning after Dotlich hit a triple into left and was brought around to score after Emmil singled to center field.

The Yellowjackets tacked on their final run in the third, as Whittemore doubled to lead-off then went to third on a Parsons single and was brought home on a sacrifice bunt by Hoffman. The Yellowjackets left one on at the end of the inning as Quint was able to avoid further damage.

The Vikings had one run left in them as Berry hit a sacrifice fly to right field, scoring Carey from third. Trenary was able to pitch out of the jam as there was a runner on third with just one out.

Trenary closed out the sixth and seventh with some drama as the Vikings left three runners stranded over the final two innings.