Jackets Fight Through Wind and Rain but Fall Short, 14-8 and 13-3

Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score

BILLINGS, Mont. – Wind gusts and rain again challenged the Montana State Billings softball squad for the second consecutive day at Cenex Stadium, as the Yellowjackets were swept by Central Washington, 14-8 and 13-3. The Wildcats earned a series sweep and took seven of eight from the Jackets this season.

Both squads combined for an unbelievable 38 runs on 52 hits and knocked out 11 home runs on the afternoon. For the series, the two combined for 71 runs on 98 hits and belted 21 home runs as there were favorable heavy winds throughout the weekend in the Billings area.

In the early going of game one, it looked as though the afternoon might turn into a pitcher’s duel, but Central Washington quickly bucked the trend, taking advantage of a pair of MSUB errors to score five runs on five hits. Four of the five runs came on a grand slam home run by Samantha Petrich, the first of her three in the game.

The Wildcats scored two more in the fourth off of Lindsey Trenary (13-12) who surrendered 14 runs, 12 earned, on 20 hits in the loss. The Yellowjackets finally started to hit Wildcat starter, Lauren Hadenfeld, in the fifth when Stevie Howard hit a two-run homer on a 2-1 pitch to cut the lead to 7-2.

Six more runs came across the plate for CWU in the sixth as Kelsey Haupert broke the Great Northwest Athletic Conference single-season home run record (16) in the process.

The Yellowjackets then made a valiant attempt in the bottom of the inning to make a comeback trailing 13-2.

After three consecutive singles by Whitney Whittemore, Madison Smith and Kaycee Hoffman started the inning, Rachel Eisenmann crushed a 1-2 offering from Hadenfeld into left field for the grand slam, cutting the lead to 13-6. After a pitching change and a single by Angela Lingle, Jenna VanEyekeren reached on a fielder’s choice resulting in Lingle being out at second. In the very next at bat, Amanda Hood drove a pitch from Katriina Reime to right for her second home run of the season.

CWU added another run in the seventh and Reime was able to end any threat the Yellowjackets posed in the seventh for the 14-8 victory.

In the night cap, MSUB answered a Wildcats run in the second with a run of its own in the bottom of the innings. Back-to-back errors by Central and an Eisenmann walk loaded the bases, but a pair of outs made it seem as though the Jackets would not take advantage. A wild pitch from Lindy Baxter allowed Kelly Parsons to score from third and knot the game at 1-1.

The Wildcats opened the gates in the third and fourth, scoring 11 combined runs on 11 hits to increase the lead to 12-1.

The Yellowjackets got two back in the bottom of the fourth when Howard singled up the middle to score Madison Smith from third with the bags full. Becca Frank then drove a sacrifice fly to right field to score Hood in the next at bat.

The Wildcats again scored a run in the fifth and shut down the Jackets in the bottom of the frame to complete the series sweep and end the game due to the mercy rule.

Josie Grotbo took the loss for the Yellowjackets, five innings, allowing 13 runs on 17 hits and striking out three, falling to 5-9 on the season.

For the series, Howard led the Yellowjackets, going 9-for-15 with five runs, a double, two home runs and four RBI. Hood and Hoffman combined to go 10-for-24 with seven runs, a double, four home runs and 10 RBI. Eisenmann led the team in RBIs with seven and hammered two home runs.

The Jackets hit .313 as a team, scoring 26 runs on 36 hits, including three doubles and eight home runs. They had a .548 slugging percentage and had an on base percentage of .375, stealing three-of-four bases.

The Yellowjackets return to the diamond for the final time this season next Friday and Saturday, May 7-8, as they take on the Western Washington Vikings in a four-game series. Games will start at 1 p.m. both days as Saturday will serve as senior day, honoring MSUB seniors, Whitney Whittemore and Stevie Howard.