Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

ST. GEORGE, Utah – The Montana State University Billings' softball team fell in its first two games of the 2013 season at No. 24 Dixie State College of Utah, 5-3 and 8-0, Wednesday.

The Yellowjackets (0-2) scored the first three runs of the day, but were held scoreless in the next 10 innings, while Dixie State crossed the plate a combined 13 times.

“We started out the day good by being aggressive at the plate, and it was great to see freshman Katie Schermele hit a homerun in her first collegiate at bat,” MSUB Head Coach Lisa Allen said. “After that we tried to be too perfect at the plate, and on the mound which caused our players to put too much pressure on themselves.”

Dixie State's Anna Cue hit a home run in both games. She hit a two-run home run in Game 1 for the Red Storm (2-0), and a three-run shot in the second game. The Yellowjackets only had five hits in Game 2.

After a scoreless first inning, the Yellowjackets scored three in the top of the second inning. After a Nicole Wilkerson double to centerfield, and a single from Breanna Wilson, Schermele drove in Wilson with home run over the left field fence.

PacWest Conference preseason Pitcher of the Year, Mattie Snow, settled down and only gave up two hits in the next two innings. The Red Storm offense also adjusted, driving in a pair of runs in the bottom of the fourth inning after a Marla Reiter triple and a Jaelle Judkins single.

The following inning, Cue gave DSC its first lead with a two-run home run that cleared the left field fence. The Red Storm added a run later in the inning with an MSUB walk. Despite being the first game of the season, neither team committed an error in the game.

Dixie State left 12 runners stranded in the victory, while the Yellowjackets left four runners on base. Snow was credited with the win, striking out five MSU Billings' batters, allowing three earned runs and seven hits, and walking two Yellowjackets in a complete game performance. Mary Grace Bywater picked up the loss in four innings of work.

The Red Storm controlled the second game. Dixie State outhit MSUB, 11-5, in the five-inning matchup. Michelle Duncan allowed just five Yellowjacket hits, pitching a shutout, and recording five strikeouts. The sophomore threw all five innings getting the win. Jessica Campbell and Amanda Roark split time on the mound for MSU Billings, with Campbell being credited with the loss.

Dixie State opened the game with four runs in the bottom of the first inning. Cue drove in three runs with a home run over the right-center field wall. Two innings later, the Red Storm added three runs on four hits. Kylee Bufton and Sheila Gelter opened the bottom of the third inning with back-to-back doubles.

“We need to learn from these games and figure out our identity as a team with 11 new players,” Allen said. “We are going to move forward from today and do better this weekend at the Desert Stinger.”

Montana State Billings and DSC travel 120 miles from St. George to Las Vegas, Nev., for the fourth annual Desert Stinger tournament. For the fourth straight season, the Yellowjackets host the largest NCAA Div. II softball tournament put on by a single institution. MSUB plays five games over a three-day span, beginning with California Baptist at 2 p.m. on Friday.