Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

ELLENSBURG, Wash. – The Montana State Billings softball team has gotten good recently at coming back and winning games after going down early, but the Yellowjackets were unable to create enough offense Saturday, dropping a pair of Great Northwest Athletic Conference games 12-11 and 5-1 to Central Washington University.
 
Entering Saturday, the Yellowjackets (31-13, 24-8 GNAC) still had a four-game lead over second-place Simon Fraser University and a five-game lead over third-place Saint Martin's University.
 
Game-One: CWU 12, MSUB 11
 
The Wildcats (16-26, 12-18 GNAC) controlled the pace of game-one from the get-go as they scored three runs in the opening stanza after MSUB went three-up and three-down to start the game off.
 
MSUB would pull back within one by the middle of the third inning as the Yellowjackets scored single runs in the second and third innings, but the Wildcats once again pounced in the bottom of the third, scoring five more runs.
 
The high-scoring game continued in the top of the fourth inning when MSUB tied the game up at eight-all with five hits. Third baseman Nicole Colpron started the drive off with a three-run home run over the left field fence. It was her second homer in as many days.
 
The Wildcats would steadily add runs over the final three and a half innings, tallying a score in each inning as MSUB attempted to avoid the loss, but to no avail.
 
Colpron and Tanya Eckles both led the way at the dish for MSUB with 3-for-4 performances. Colpron had four RBIs while Eckles scored two runs and knocked another in.
 
The two teams combined for 32 hits in the game to go along with the 23 runs scored.
 
Mary Grace Bywater came in for the final three and two-thirds innings to take the loss after Annaleisha Parsley started the game. Maria Gau acquired the win in both the first and second games, pitching the complete game in game-two.
 
Game-Two: CWU 5, MSUB 1
 
The Yellowjackets never recovered from game-one and extended their current skid to three games as they were out-hit in the second game 11-6.
 
Central Washington recorded two runs in both the third and fifth innings and a final run in the sixth before MSUB was able to avoid the shutout with a solo run in the seventh frame.
 
Jenna VanEykeren was the lone bright spot for MSUB in game-two as she went 2-for-3 at the plate, but the Wildcats' Bre Thomas and Jen Schwartz overshadowed the four-year senior as they both were perfect at the plate. Thomas went 4-for-4 with two runs schored while Schwartz was 3-for-3 with a run scored and another batted in.
 
Junior Kasie Conder accepted just her second loss of the season in the circle for MSUB as she pitched the complete game.
 
The Yellowjackets will end their regular-season with a three-day, six-game home stand next weekend that will include hosting the second- and third-place teams in the conference. MSUB will first welcome Saint Martin's to Cenex Stadium on Thursday, April 26 for a 1 p.m. doubleheader before stepping out of their conference slate with a 1 p.m. twinbill with Great Falls on Friday, April 27. The 'Jackets will then close the curtains on the regular-season by hosting Simon Fraser on Saturday, April 28 in a 1 p.m. doubleheader.