Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

BURNABY, B.C. – The Montana State University Billings softball team began their bid for the 2012 Great Northwest Athletic Conference championship Saturday afternoon on the road, taking on the Clan of Simon Fraser University. The Yellowjackets (4-3, 1-1 GNAC) split their two games, 5-4 and 2-3, with the Clan (9-2, 5-1 GNAC).
 
“We had a pretty good day, today,” said first year head coach Lisa Allen. “Mary Grace and Kasie did a great job in the circle for us in the first game by limiting hits. Jenna had a fantastic game in the field snagging a hit in the seventh to save a run and then hit a home run in the eighth to give us the lead.
 
“Annaleisha did what we needed her to do for us in the second game, just offensively, we did not get people on base and could not move them over to score when we did. Both games were well-played and a battle to the very end.”
 
In the first game of the doubleheader, MSUB started the scoring off with a pair of runs in the third inning. With two runners in scoring position and no outs registered, Meg Marazymczuk ripped a single through the left side to score Bobbie Lee. Emily Osborn then grounded out to the second baseman on the following at-bat, but it was enough to drive Rose Harrington in and give the Yellowjackets a 2-0 lead.
 
Neither team was able to score again until the bottom of the sixth inning when Simon Fraser knotted the score back up with a pair of runs.
 
Both teams would score a pair of runs in the seventh inning started by Harazymczuk's double to deep, left center field which scored Lee and Becca Frank.
 
Shortstop Jenna VanEykeren gave MSUB their first conference win of the season when she ripped a home run over the centerfield fence in the top of the eighth inning.
 
Kasie Conder came in to pitch the final two innings of the game to record her first decision of the season after Mary Grace Bywater went six innings.
 
Cara Lukawesky pitched all eight innings for the Clan in the circle, giving up five earned runs, three more than the total earned runs given up by MSUB's pair of pitchers.
 
The second game proved to be more of a pitcher's duel through the first three innings as both starting pitchers, Annaleisha Parsley for MSUB and Kelsie Hawkins for SFU, held their own in the circle. It was not until the bottom of the fourth inning that Simon Fraser edged ahead with a run scored.
 
The Yellowjackets would answer in the next inning with a pair of runs. Taylor Hoke hit a double to center field to score Brittney Soares, pinch running for VanEykeren, before an error by the shortstop gave Hoke enough time to cross the dish.
 
Down 2-1, the Clan remained steadfast in their pursuit of not being swept at home by the Yellowjackets, scoring single runs in the next two innings including a walk-off home run by Leah Riske to end the game in the seventh.
 
Parsley pitched a complete game in the circle for the Yellowjackets, but suffered her first loss of the season to move to 1-1 after striking out two batters. Hawkins fanned five batters en route to claiming her third win of the season (3-1).
 
The two GNAC schools will face off again today at 1 p.m. with their second doubleheader.