Box Score

Billings, Mont. – Montana State Billings baseball team used a five run sixth inning to best the Concordia University Cavaliers 6-4, Thursday afternoon at Hilken Stadium. The Yellowjackets have won three out of their last four contests.
 
Thursday's conquest marks the first time of the 2013 season that MSUB has won two consecutive games. The Jackets put together a complete team effort and willed themselves to victory. Devon Hedin had his glove working today, recording a game high 12 putouts. Brad Birch (2-3), Brody Miller (2-4), and Colter Sternhagen (2-5) combined for six of the Jackets eight hits. Five different players batted at least one run in and scored at least one.
 
MSU Billings got another quality performance from their hurlers. Three Yellowjackets saw action on the mound, with Lee Busto making his first career start and notching the first win of his career. He finished with two of MSUB's four strikeouts in seven innings pitched.
 
Concordia threw six different pitchers at the Yellowjackets; Blake Evetts made the start, but Jared Young was credited with the loss. Christian Bannister and Austin Hadley had three strikeouts each to help the Cavaliers efforts.
 
Blake Drake had the best day at the plate amongst all batters going 3-5, and scoring one run. Sheldon Austria was also solid, finishing 2-5, while batting two runs in and scoring another.
 
After two scoreless innings, Concordia took a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the third, scoring two unearned runs off a Cole Shidaki's single to center field. Both teams offense stalled for two more innings until MSUB's hitters came to life in the top of the fifth inning. The Jackets brought home five runs to take the 5-3 lead over the Cavaliers. Orrin Pyrah, Hedin, Steven DeYoung, Miller and Drew Fosnes all recorded RBIs to give MSU Billings the lead.
 
Concordia came within one of the Yellowjackets lead, scoring a run in the bottom of the eighth to bring the score to 5-4 going into the ninth. MSUB held their composure and capitalized on their opponent's mistake, as Colby Robison scored on a wild pitch to increase the Jackets advantage by one (6-4). Travis Vincent closed the contest for MSUB, forcing the Cavaliers to go three up-three down in the bottom of the ninth, to give the Jackets their fifth win of the season.
 
MSU Billings now at 5-14-1 overall, and 1-3 in the GNAC, will head to Lacey, Wash. for their second conference series of the 2013 season against Saint Martin's University. The Saints and Yellowjackets will play a four game series starting Saturday, March 9 at 12 noon (Pacific Time).