Big Bats Help Jackets Sweep Series with Crusaders, 5-3 and 8-0

Game 1 Box
Game 2 Box

BILLINGS, Mont. – A pair of strong pitching performances from Lindsey Trenary in game one and Josie Grotbo in game two plus a beautiful hitting display from the Montana State Billings offense helped the Yellowjackets to a weekend sweep of visiting Northwest Nazarene Saturday afternoon at Cenex Stadium. The Yellowjackets moved to 10-7 overall and 8-4 in Great Northwest Athletic Conference play with victories of 5-3 and 8-0 in the today’s doubleheader.

“I thought that we played our best game of the weekend in the final game today,” said head coach Anthony Stone. “I thought that defensively we played very well today, committing no errors in either game but it really stood out in the second game as Josie (Grotbo) had just the one strikeout and relied on her teammates in the field. I’m really happy with the series sweep this weekend and now we have to look ahead to our upcoming games at Central Washington.”

Kelly Parsons went a combined 5-for-5 with six RBI and a pair of dingers in today’s games, going 5-for-10 with three runs scored, seven RBI and two homers for the series. Bobbie Lee was 5-for-10 with three runs and three RBI in the series, going 3-of-4 from the plate today with a run and an RBI. Lee also made one of the top plays of the weekend with a diving catch in the third inning of today’s second game to take away a hit from the Crusaders.

Game 1, 5-3
Northwest Nazarene got to Trenary early in game one, plating two in the first when Arielle Chao sent the ball out to left center for a two-run homer, scoring Emily Renfrow.

The Yellowjackets cut into the lead after Stevie Howard reached first on a throwing error by Haley Hevern and then came around to score after a sacrifice bunt by Whittney Whittemore and a single up the middle by Parsons. The Yellowjackets were cut short after Howard scored, striking out to end their threat.

MSUB struck again in the third as Whittemore walked to reach base and then advanced to third on a throwing error by Chelsey Anderson which allowed Kaycee Hoffman to take second. Parsons collected her second RBI of the game, singling through the left side to score Whittemore. Hoffman scored when Becca Frank hit a sacrifice fly to right field, giving the Jackets a 3-2 lead.

The Yellowjackets put the game away in the fifth when Frank singled to left field to score Whittemore and Angela Lingle drove the ball to right field for a sacrifice fly to score Hoffman.

Trenary gave up one more run in the sixth as Sarah Varady hit a solo homer to bring the score to 5-3, but sat the Crusaders down in order to end the game. She finished the day with seven complete innings, allowing three runs, all earned, on five hits, a walk while striking out six. Trenary is now 6-1 on the year and was 2-0 this weekend with 14 innings pitched, giving up just four runs on 10 hits, striking out 14.

Game 2, 8-0
In the night cap, Josie Grotbo had one of her best pitching performances of the season, shutting down the Crusaders with just four hits and a strikeout as the Jackets run ruled NNU. It was Grotbo’s second victory of the season (2-0) as she went 2-0 this weekend in 13 innings pitched, allowing four runs on 13 hits, striking out four.

Offensively, MSUB jumped on the Crusaders’ starting pitcher, Cara Duckworth, early in the first inning with four runs. Frank reached safely on a fielder’s choice and took second when Hoffman singled down the left field line to put two runners on for Parsons. Parsons then stepped into Duckworth’s pitch and sent it deep to right field for a three-run blast and give MSUB a 3-0 lead.

The very next batter, Jenna VanEyekeren, drove another Duckworth pitch over the fence for her second home run of the season, getting a grand slam yesterday, to make it a 4-0 Jackets lead.

MSUB hit the Crusaders again in the second after Ashley Moeller doubled to right center to lead off and then scored when Lee singled up the middle in the next at bat. After the Crusaders brought in Nicole Grummons to pitch, the Yellowjackets bats went silent for a few innings.

Parsons struck again in the fifth inning, driving another pitch over the left field fence for her fourth home run of the season and second in the game, making the score 6-0. The Yellowjackets would end the game with a pair of runs in sixth as Hoffman drove in the final run with a single through the left side to score Lee.