Game 1 Box
Game 2 Box

NAMPA, Idaho -- The Montana State University Billings softball team found the offense it had been looking for this season, but the Yellowjackets only managed a split with Great Northwest Athletic Conference foe Northwest Nazarene Saturday afternoon at Halle Field in Nampa.

 

The Yellowjackets moved their record to 6-11 on the year and are now 4-8 in the GNAC. The Crusaders are now 5-8 overall on the year and are 4-4 in the conference.

 

Senior Kelly Parsons had a tremendous day, going 5-for-7 in the two games with a pair of runs scored, three RBI and two home runs. Jenna VanEykeren was 3-for-5 in one game, scoring a run and batting in two RBI with one triple.

 

The Yellowjackets hit .417 as a team on Saturday and hit three bombs on the afternoon. NNU hit just .275 as a team in the two games, but had four home runs and two triples.

 

The Yellowjackets fell behind early in game one as the Crusaders scored two runs in each of the first two innings to stake a 4-0 lead on MSUB starter Annaleisha Parsley.

 

The Jackets cut the lead down to 4-3 in the third inning, first when Meg Harasymczuk hit a two-RBI double into right center, scoring Rose Harrington and Tarn Potter. The third run was scored when Angela Lingle singled to center field to scored Harasymczuk.

 

NNU added another pair of runs in the fourth inning when the Crusaders hit a pair of solo home runs to build a 6-3 lead. The Crusaders would again add a three spot in the sixth inning to take a 9-3 lead over the Jackets.

 

MSUB would come alive in the seventh after two quick outs to begin the inning. Chloe Johnson began the scoring as she tripled to score Bobbie Lee from third, and then scored herself on a single by Becca Frank.

 

After Harrington reached on a fielding error, Potter singled in Frank to cut the lead to 9-6. Harasymczuk then singled down the left field line to score Harrington, making the lead 9-7. The final out came on a hard hit ball by Kaycee Hoffman that was caught in center field.

 

Parsley took the loss and fell to 2-5 on the season, throwing 3.2 innings, allowing six runs on five hits. Relief pitcher Amanda Todd threw 2.1 innings with three runs on two hits and had four strikeouts.

 

Chelsey Anderson improved to 2-3 on the season, allowing seven runs, five earned, on 16 hits. Anderson managed to strand 12 Yellowjackets on the bags during the day.

 

 

Parsons started the scoring in game two in the second inning when she blasted a two-run home run to center field, scoring Hoffman on the play.

 

The big inning for MSUB was the third, scoring six runs on six hits. After Nicole Colpron singled in VanEykeren from second, Hoffman belted a two-run home run to push the lead to 5-0.

 

Parsons again hit a home run, this time solo, in the very next at bat to make the lead six. The final runs of the inning came on a fielding error by the Crusaders that allowed Rachel Eisenmann and Madison Smith to score on the play.

 

NNU gained three runs back in the bottom of the third, two of which came on a triple by Cara Duckworth. The final run of the inning was scored as Kristin Refsland scored Duckworth on a single, cutting the lead to 8-3.

 

VanEykeren tripled in the ninth run for the Yellowjackets in the fifth, scoring Eisenmann who had reached on a fielder's choice earlier.

 

NNU scored on an RBI-single and a throwing error in the sixth, but the Jackets took back the two runs in the seventh. Eisenmann singled in a run and VanEykeren laid down a bunt that scored the final run of the inning, taking an 11-5 lead.

 

Kasie Conder got the win to improve to 4-3 on the year, tossing a complete game with five runs, four earned, on seven hits and striking out seven. Nicole Grummons took the loss for NNU, falling to 3-5 on the year after giving up 11 runs, eight earned, on 14 hits.

 

The Yellowjackets will make their home debut this Saturday, Mar., 19, against Simon Fraser at Cenex Field. The two sides will play a doubleheader that begins at 1 p.m. The Jackets and Clan will also play Sunday at 12 p.m. in a doubleheader.