NAMPA, Idaho – The Montana State Billings baseball team battled back and earned the split of a Great Northwest Athletic Conference doubleheader Friday at Northwest Nazarene.  The Crusaders won the opener 7-3, but the Jackets scored five times in the first of the nightcap en route to a 6-5 win.

“We swung the bats much better today in both games,” MSUB head coach Rob Bishop said.  “In game one we played poorly on defense which is uncharacteristic for this team.  Kody (Kennedy), Archie (Smith) and Brian (Howe) stepped up big on the mound during the second game to lead us to a big win.  I am hopeful that this will lead to more good baseball from our club.”

In the opener, the Jackets (8-11, 1-5 GNAC) were led by a 3 for 5 performance from sophomore Colby Robison.  He tallied two RBIs, while senior Jordan Kessler also went 3 for 5 with a run scored. Senior Jeff Ridgeway went 2 for 4 with a run scored.

The Crusaders (16-6, 5-5 GNAC) were led by Logan Parker who went 3 for 5 with a run scored while Ryan Van Beek was 2 for 4 with two runs scored and a RBI. 

Northwest Nazarene jumped out to a 3-0 lead, but the Jackets cut the deficit to 3-1 in the third as freshman Dillon Ness singled and later scored on a senior Kevin Zukaitis RBI single.  The Crusaders added a run in the bottom of the frame for a 4-1 lead.

The Crusaders added two more runs in the fifth and one in the sixth, but the Jackets came back with two scores in the sixth as Robison hit a two RBI single to left for a 7-3 score.  The Crusaders retired the Jackets in order in the final three innings for the win.

Senior Jake Vulk (0-2) took the loss in four innings of work.  He allowed eight hits, six runs – four earned, one walk and he fanned three.

Five runs in the first inning gave the Jackets a lead, but a furious, late-game comeback by the Crusaders almost spelled trouble. 

A Kessler RBI single got things started in the nightcap as sophomore Austin Rue came around to score.  Senior Jeff Ridgeway singled home the second run on a fielder's choice, while senior Chris Stine belted a two RBI single down the right field line scoring two unearned runs after a Crusader miscue. 

The Jackets added another run in the third on a Ridgeway home run to right center to begin the frame for a 6-0 lead.

The Crusaders tallied an unearned run in the fourth courtesy of a Yellowjacket fielding error and plated three runs in the sixth with two bases loaded hit batsmen and a bases loaded wild pitch.  NNU added another run in the seventh on a Van Beek home run to left, but was unable to come up with the tying run.

Senior Archie Smith (3-1) earned the victory in relief of junior Kody Kennedy.  Smith went 2.2 innings allowing two hits, three earned runs and one walk.  Kennedy went 3.1 innings allowing three hits one earned run with three walks.  He fanned five.  Senior Brian Howe earned his third save of the year.

Offensively, the Jackets were led by Ness who went 3 for 4 with a run scored.  Ridgeway was 1 for 3 with two RBI and two runs scored. 

The Jackets and the Crusaders finish the four game set tomorrow at 12 p.m.  MSUB then returns home to begin the 2011 home slate Fri., Mar. 25, at 3 p.m. versus Western Oregon at Dehler Park.