Jackets Split with Saints, 0-4 and 12-8

Game 1
Game 2

LACEY, Wash. – Despite seven errors in game two, the Montana State Billings softball squad held on for a 12-8 decision over Saint Martin’s University, earning a split after dropping game one 4-0 Sunday afternoon at the Saints home field in Lacey, Wash. The Jackets moved to 20-23 on the season and 17-15 in Great Northwest Athletic Conference play, taking the season series over the Saints, five games to three.

“We’re fortunate to leave here with three wins,” said head coach Anthony Stone. “We had a lot of defensive mistakes in the second game but we were able to overcome them and get the win. It’s nice to be heading home for the final two series and get this last road victory under our belts. Now we have to turn our attention to Central Washington and get ready to play them next weekend.”

In game one, the Saints pounded out three runs on three hits in the first inning and scored another run in the fifth to beat Lindsey Trenary (12-9). SMU had eight hits in the game, while the Yellowjackets could only get four off of Saints pitcher, Brandi Klemm.

Trenary struck out three in the loss, but offensively, Amanda Goings was the only Yellowjacket with multiple hits, going 2-for-3 on the afternoon. Kaycee Hoffman and Amanda Hood recorded the only other hits off of Klemm.

In a wild game two, MSUB stormed out to a 10-0 lead in the fourth before six errors in the bottom of the inning cost the Jackets eight runs. Hoffman and Hood combined to go 6-of-8 with three runs and five RBI. As a team, MSUB recorded 14 hits off of a pair of Saints pitchers and had eight players record at least one hit.

The Yellowjackets capitalized on pitching mistakes by Saint Martin’s to score five runs on just three hits in the first innings. Two more runs came in the third when Becca Frank singled through the left side to score Hoffman and then Rachel Eisenmann scored a few pitches later on a wild pitch to build a 7-0 lead.

Three more runs crossed the plate in the fourth when Hoffman ripped the ball over the left field fence to score Whitney Whittemore and Kelly Parsons.

The Saints would battle back in the fourth as the Jackets booted six plays to allow eight runs on just two hits and bring the score to 10-8 after four, but MSUB secured the victory in the sixth. Whittemore doubled down the left field line and later scored on a Hoffman single to center and then Goings, who was pinch running for Parsons, scored on a sacrifice fly by Eisenmann to make the lead four, 12-8.

Josie Grotbo was credited for the win after tossing three and a third innings, allowing eight runs, none earned, on three hits. Trenary came in for relief and tossed three and two thirds innings, allowing just one hit and struck out one.