Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

LACEY, Wash. – The Saint Martin's University softball team extended its win streak to seven games with a sweep over Montana State University Billings Saturday, 8-0 and 2-1.

The Saints (11-5, 2-0 Great Northwest Athletic Conference) won their conference season-openers behind stellar defense and pitching. In a battle of the top two teams in the conference preseason poll, it was SMU that came away with the sweep. It was only the fifth and sixth times that Saint Martin's defeated MSUB at home in 22 meetings in Lacey. The Yellowjackets have won 30 of the 43 matchups all-time.

Lacey McGladrey led the Saints to the Game 1 victory. The junior finished the first contest 3-for-4 at the plate, with five RBI. She scored twice, and hit a home run and double in the win. Taviah Jenkins was 3-for-3, with an RBI and two doubles, and Joslyn Eugenio was 2-for-3. Sam Munger (5-3) picked up the win on the mound. She struck out four Yellowjackets in the six-inning shutout performance.

After a scoreless first inning, Jenkins singled to centerfield and brought in Aubree Pocklington. Two batters later, McGladrey hit a home run over the right field wall, driving in Megan Miller and Jenkins. The Saints scored four runs on three hits in the bottom the second.

Saint Martin's added two runs in the fourth inning. McGladrey scored Jenkins with a single through the right side. McGladrey would later cross home plate off of a Yellowjacket error. In the sixth inning, McGladrey drove in the final two runs on a double to right center.

Both teams committed one error in the game. Mary Grace Bywater was credited with loss. The sophomore falls to 0-2 this season. She allowed five earned runs and struck out one batter in 4.1 innings of work.

In the second game, both teams recorded five hits and played errorless softball. Taylor Bakos (6-2) pitched a complete-game, allowing one earned run and striking out two MSUB batters. Munger was 2-for-2, recording both RBI for the Saints.

In the bottom of the first inning, Eugenio singled down the right field line and Munger scored for the first run of the game. In the bottom of the third, McGladrey crossed home plate off of a Munger sacrifice fly.

The Yellowjackets' (4-12, 3-6 GNAC) Nicole Wilkerson singled down the right field line, bringing in Caryn Perrigo, and advancing Aubrey Conceicao to third base. Unfortunately for MSU Billings, Conceicao was stranded on third and Montana State Billings would not score again.

Jessyka MacDonald allowed two earned runs, but fanned six Saints. She fell to 2-3 on the season. The sophomore was the lone Yellowjacket to pitch in Game 2.

“Today was very similar to yesterday,” MSUB Head Coach Lisa Allen said. “Our pitchers and defense have been doing a great job but we haven't been able to string hits together to put runs across the plate. Luckily we have two weeks to work on our offense before our next game.”

The Yellowjackets' long road trip comes to an end. MSUB played 10 games over a seven-day span, beginning with its sweep at NNU. The Yellowjackets spent eight days on the road, traveled 2,659 miles, and drove nearly 43 hours around the Pacific Northwest for games. The team went from Billings to Nampa, Idaho; to Burnaby, B.C.; to Bellingham, Wash.; to Monmouth, Ore.; to Lacey, Wash.; and then back to Billings.

Montana State Billings' next game is the 2013 home opener for the Yellowjackets. MSUB welcomes Central Washington (1-8, 1-3) on March 21. First pitch of the doubleheader is scheduled for 1 p.m. MT.