BILLINGS, Mont. – One is the magic number this week for the Montana State Billings softball team. That number represents either one Yellowjacket win and/or a Saint Martin's loss this week which will hand the Great Northwest Athletic Conference's automatic berth to the 'Jackets and send them into the NCAA Division II West Regional.
 
Ironically, MSUB faces SMU in a 1 p.m. GNAC doubleheader this Thursday, April 26 on their home field of Cenex Stadium. The 'Jackets currently lead the GNAC with a league record of 24-8 which has them three games ahead of second-place Simon Fraser and four ahead of the third-place Saints. As a provisional member, Simon Fraser is ineligible for the playoffs and that has MSUB looking for either one win in its final four games and/or one Saint Martin's loss in its final four games this week to clinch the GNAC's automatic berth into the West Regional.
 
The Yellowjackets were fifth in the most recent region rankings with the top-eight in the region advancing to the 64-team tournament.
 
After the meeting with the Saints, the Yellowjackets will step out of conference action to welcome Great Falls University and former MSUB great Joey (Ehnes) Egan who coaches the Argos on Friday, April 27.
 
MSUB will then close the curtains on its 2012 regular-season with their final 1 p.m. doubleheader against Simon Fraser on Saturday, April 28. Saturday's twinbill will also serve as the Yellowjackets' “Senior Day.”
 
The last time MSUB (31-13) and SMU (30-17-1) met, the Yellowjackets pulled out a 3-1 series victory over the Saints in Lacey, Wash. after dropping the first game of the series 2-1. From there, the 'Jackets went on to win the final three games 5-3, 7-4 and 3-1.
 
MSUB currently leads the conference with 53 home runs and a team batting average of .330. They are also third in the league with a 3.39 team ERA.
 
The Yellowjackets are led at the plate by junior right fielder Rose Harrington who is currently sixth in the league with a .400 batting average. Harrington also leads the team with 155 at bats and a conference-best 62 hits while sitting second on the team with 12 stolen bases. She is third on the team with 37 runs scored and 30 more runs batted in.
 
Meg Harasymczuk leads the conference with 15 home runs, 46 RBI and 98 total bases and is third on the team with a .366 batting average which has her 10^th in the GNAC. She is second in the league with 41 runs scored.
 
Inside the circle, MSUB's pitching corps is led by freshmen Mary Grace Bywater and Jessyka MacDonald. Bywater is third in the league with a 2.30 earned run average while MacDonald boasts a 2.82 and 63 striekouts.
 
Sophomore Amanda Todd leads the team with 80 K's this season and has seen action in 74.2 innings en route to posting a 3.00 ERA.
 
Saint Martin's
 
Third-place Saint Martin's is tied for first in the conference with MSUB's .330 team batting average and boasts two of the top-three players in the conference as far as batting average goes.
 
The Saints are led at the dish by Morgan Klemm's .428 batting average, which has her second in the league, and .478 on-base percentage. Just behind Klemm is Sam Munger in third with a .405 average at the plate and she is second in the conference with 40 RBI this season.
 
SMU's Joslyn Eugenio and Taylor Bakos lead the GNAC with 0.99 and 1.90 ERAs. Munger has split her time at the plate and in the circle as she is third on the team, fourth in the league with a 2.42 ERA in 115.2 innings of work.
 
Great Falls (8-26)
 
The Argos are led at the plate by Alex Lowry who boasts a .434 batting average to go along with 36 hits, 27 RBI and 19 runs scored. Just behind her, Kelli O'Brien holds a .300 batting average with 19 runs scored and 27 hitsNicole Banach's .239 batting average in 109 at bats.
 
Great Falls has turned to Alyse Sifuentes the most this season as far as pitching goes. She has pitched 99.2 innings and holds the team's best ERA of 5.48 in 22 games.
 
Simon Fraser (28-12, 21-11 GNAC)
 
When the Clan of Simon Fraser enters Billings on Saturday, they will do so behind the most consistent bat in the conference. Kelsey Haberl leads the league with a .472 batting average that includes a .722 slugging percentage and .592 on-base percentage. She is second in the league with 15 doubles and has struck out just twice this season.
 
Sammie Olexa is the Clan's second-best batter with a .402 batting average in 112 at bats and includes 26 runs scored.
 
Cara Lukawesky and Kelsie Hawkins leads SFU in the circle. Lukawesky holds a 2.51 ERA and has retired 102 batters while Hawkins is just behind her with a 2.54 ERA and 72 strikeouts.
 
Saturday's games will not only serve as “Senior Day” for the Yellowjackets, but will be “Little League Day.” All little leaguers who wear their uniforms to Cenex Stadium will be admitted free of charge.