Game 1 Box
Game 2 Box

MONMOUTH, Ore. – Kaycee Hoffman tagged a three-run double in the top of the seventh with two outs in game one, and Meg Harasymczuk blasted a three-run home run to straight-away center field in the top of the seventh to lift the Montana State Billings softball squad to a doubleheader sweep of Western Oregon Saturday in their Great Northwest Athletic Conference opener.

 

The Yellowjackets improve to 4-3 on the season and are 2-0 to start the conference season, while Western Oregon fell to 3-4 on the year and 0-2 to start the GNAC.

 

“I'm extremely proud of this team's resolve,” said head coach Anthony Stone. “We had a slow start in both games but we fought back and won two big conference games in the seventh inning of both. We had big hits from Kaycee (Hoffman) and Meg (Harasymczuk), and some very nice pitching performances from our entire staff today. I still think we need serious work on defense, but I think that will come with more time outside. Now we need to get some rest tonight, enjoy these wins, and wake up tomorrow ready to go to work again.”

 

Harasymczuk went 4-for-7 with four runs, three RBI, a pair of doubles and her home run in game two. Hoffman finished the day 3-of-8 with one run, two doubles and a team-high four RBI. Tarn Potter was the only other Yellowjacket with multiple hits, going 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI.

 

Kasie Conder took the win in both games, throwing four and a third innings two runs, one earned, on just six hits in both games. She had an ERA of 1.62, fanning six during the day. Annaleisha Parsley threw seven and two-thirds of an inning in two appearances, allowing six runs on six hits, not factoring into a decision. Amanda Todd also made an appearance with one start, allowing three runs, two earned, on three hits.

 

The Wolves took advantage first in game one, scoring a run in the fourth and three in the fifth to build a 4-0 deficit for the Yellowjackets.

 

The Yellowjacket offense came alive in the sixth as they put two runs on the board to get into the game. Harasymczuk doubled to right field to start the inning and then scored two batters later when Hoffman doubled to left field.

 

Samantha Church came in to pinch-run for Hoffman at second and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Church would later in the at bat for Jenna VanEykeren as VanEykeren laced a single into center field for the RBI.

 

After a 1-2-3 sixth inning for WOU, MSUB loaded the bases with two outs in the top of the final frame. With Bobbie Lee on third, Becca Frank on second and Harasymczuk on first, Hoffman stepped up and sent a pitch into right field for a two-out, three-RBI double that cleared the bases and gave the Jackets a one run lead.

 

In the bottom of the seventh, Conder slammed the door shut by getting the first two batters to fly out, gave up a single, and then got Jessica Wood to strike out to end the game.

The Jackets fell behind in game two in the first inning as the Wolves hung three runs on Todd, who got the start for MSUB.

 

The Yellowjackets came back in the top of the fourth after Harasymczuk doubled down the left field line with one out, later scoring on a sacrifice fly by Rachel Eisenmann. Three more runs would score in the inning after a single, a double and a wild pitch.

 

Leading 4-3 in the fifth, MSUB added another run on another wild pitch from the WOU pitchers. Eisenmann scored on the play, coming in from third.

 

Western Oregon would regain the lead in the sixth however, as the Wolves scored four runs on four hits off of Parsley. But the Jackets would answer in the seventh with a huge inning against the Wolves' pitching ace, Jessica Wood.

 

After Frank reached on an error and Kelly Parsons singled to center field, Harasymczuk stepped to the plate and belted a pitch to center field to score the go-ahead, and eventual, winning run to give the Jackets the first day sweep.