Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2
BILLINGS, Mont. – The Montana State University Billings' softball team cruised in a pair of wins over Northwest Nazarene University, 13-2 and 18-0, both in five innings Saturday.
The Yellowjackets' (7-13, 6-7 Great Northwest Athletic Conference) won their second and third straight gamse, and kept NNU winless in Billings all-time (0-20). It was the 12th and 13th consecutive wins for MSUB over the Crusaders.
Aubrey Conceicao went 6-for-7 with 11 RBI in the two wins. The sophomore finished the day with a home run, a triple and three of doubles.
Jessica Campbell (1-3) recorded her first victory on the mound in the first game. She allowed seven hits and two earned runs in the complete game performance.
Mary Grace Bywater improved to 1-2 on the season with a second game win. The sophomore threw a five-inning shutout, allowing only three hits.
Montana State Billings outhit the Crusaders, 26-10, and totaled 31 runs to NNU's two. Including the MSUB sweep in Nampa, the Yellowjackets have outscored Northwest Nazarene this season, 43-2.
The Yellowjackets scored a run in every inning in Game 1, while committing no errors in the 13-2 victory. Conceicao went 4-for-4 with six RBI. The Temecula, Calif. native, had a triple and two doubles.
Jessyka MacDonald was 3-for-3, with three RBI.
Rose Harrington and
Katie Schermele both went 2-for-3, with Harrington hitting a double.
Harrington crossed the plate first for the Yellowjackets in the bottom of the first inning. The senior was driven in off of a
Nicole Wilkerson hit. MSU Billings added four runs in the second inning. Schermele was brought in on a MacDonald single to center field, and then MSUB added three runs with two outs. Conceicao doubled down the right field line, scoring MacDonald.
Emily Osborn then drove in Conceicao and Harrington with a single.
After Campbell allowed one hit in the top of the third, only her second of the game, the MSUB offense scored three more runs in the bottom half of the inning. With two outs, MacDonald singled again, bringing in Schermele. Two batters later, Conceicao, doubled to center field and scored
Cori Gammon and MacDonald.
In the top of the fifth inning, Shelby Johnson hit the lone home run of the game, a shot over the left field wall. MSU Billings answered with five more runs in the bottom of the inning. Britney Sanders flied out to right field, but drove in Osborn. The Yellowjackets were then able to score four runs with two outs again. MacDonald singled to third base and brought in Wilkerson. Two batters later, Conceicao struck again hitting a ball off of the right field wall, and driving in three runs on the triple.
NNU added a run in the top of the fifth off of a Kendra Day single. The Crusaders and MSUB both left five runners on base. Northwest Nazarene had two errors in the setback. Noelle Wright was credited with the loss, allowing six earned runs on 11 hits. She struck out two Yellowjackets and walked one.
Montana State Billings started the second game just as it ended the first. The Yellowjackets held NNU scoreless in the top of the first inning, and then broke the game open with nine runs in the bottom half of the inning. A three-run home run from Osborn cleared the bases and opened the scoring. A MacDonald single drove in Wilkerson, and then Sanders scored on a walk. Conceicao then hit a 2-1 pitch over the centerfield fence for a grand slam.
After the first two Yellowjacket batters reached in the bottom of the second, Sanders hit a three-run home run over the left field wall. MSUB added another run off an NNU error, and then Conceicao doubled to centerfield, bringing in MacDonald.
In the fourth inning, after
Breanna Wilson doubled to centerfield,
Breanna Sanders singled to centerfield scoring a run. Wilson was then brought in on a Harrington groundout. Wilkerson drove in the final two runs on a home run.
Wright (5-17) picked up the loss. The Crusaders (5-22, 0-12 GNAC) stranded five runners on base, and had five errors. Bywater struck out five NNU batters, while walking one.
Before MSU Billings' three-game win streak, it had dropped seven straight contests. During that losing streak, the Yellowjackets totaled three runs in seven games. In the last three games, three victories, MSUB has amassed 44 runs.
The Yellowjackets welcome Western Oregon (16-15, 7-3) to Bjorgum Field next Saturday. The Wolves swept MSUB earlier this season, 6-0 and 1-0. WOU split with conference-leading Simon Fraser Saturday. Western Oregon handed SFU its first GNAC loss of the season. First pitch for the MSU Billings and WOU doubleheader is scheduled for 1 p.m. Live video and stats will be available on MSUBSports.com.
MSUB – NNU POSTGAME NOTES
• Before MSU Billings' three-game win streak, it had dropped seven straight contests.
• During that losing streak, the Yellowjackets totaled three runs in seven games.
• In the last three games, three victories, MSUB has amassed 44 runs.
• The 18 runs were MSUB's most since it scored 18 against Simon Fraser last season on March 4
• Conceicao's six RBI's in the first game were just shy of Rachel Quarnburg's seven vs. Okla. Panhandle St. on April 7, 2006.
• Montana State Billings' 18 runs were two shy of the school record set against Great Falls in 2007.
