Jackets Drop GNAC Opening Doubleheader at Saint Martin's

Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 Box Score (Game 1)

Box Score (Game 2)

LACEY, Wash. - The Montana State Billings baseball team dropped its Great Northwest Athletic Conference opening doubleheader at Saint Martin's University Sunday afternoon. The Saints posted 3-1 and 4-0 victories. With the losses, the Yellowjackets fell to 7-8 overall and 0-2 in conference play. SMU improved to 7-10 on the year and 5-1 in the GNAC.

The Saints opened the scoring in the third inning of the first game as they loaded the bases with two walks and a single with one out. Aaron Johnson then hit a sacrifice fly to left for a 1-0 lead. SMU then added its second run in the fourth inning as Josh Grenier led off the inning with a double. He scored unearned later courtesy of a Yellowjacket miscue for a 2-0 lead.

SMU loaded the bases with one out in the fifth courtesy of a single, double and an intentional walk. Yellowjacket senior pitcher, Jake Vulk, then retired the next batter to get the second out. Grenier came up big again as he walked scoring the third run of the game.

The Jackets showed life in the top of the sixth as sophomore Austin Rue reached second on a two-base error to begin the frame. Senior Jeff Ridgeway moved Rue to second with a sacrifice bunt and senior Jordan Kessler drove him home with a sacrifice fly. Junior Zachary Smith tripled to right as it looked as if the Jackets had something going, but sophomore Colby Robison flied out to left to end the threat.

Neither team scored the rest of the way as Vulk (0-1) took the loss in six innings of work. He surrendered four hits, three runs - two earned, walked five and struck out three. Ridgeway led the way with two hits for the Jackets.

SMU's Michael McIver went 7. 2 innings on the mound allowing four hits, one unearned run, two walks and he fanned six. Grenier and Bobby Twedt each had two hits for the Saints. Kaleb Wilson picked up the save in relief.

In the nightcap, the Saints did their damage in the third, plating three runs with only one earned. The Jackets surrendered the first run and looked as if they would get out of the jam with just one run scored, but a crucial error allowed the inning to continue. The Jackets tallied three walks and two wild pitches in the frame. Both of the unearned runs scored on either a wild pitch or a walk.

SMU added a single run in the sixth on a bases loaded single by Johnson for a 4-0 lead.

The Jackets tallied just one hit in the game as Rue broke up a perfect game with a single up the middle in the sixth. The Saints tallied just four hits, but made the most of them. Reigning GNAC Pitcher of the Week, Tommy DeBoer, continued his dominating pitching as he went five innings and Antone Saltvick went the final two innings allowing the one hit, but combining for the shutout.

Yellowjacket senior pitcher, Kody Kennedy (1-4) took the loss in four innings of work. He allowed three runs on two hits with just one earned run. Kennedy walked six and fanned three.

The Jackets will look to rebound Monday at 12 p.m. PST in the final doubleheader of the series at the Regional Athletic Complex.

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