Game Notes
GNAC Weekly Release
 
 
Billings, Mont. – Montana State Billings baseball team looks to continue to hit on all cylinders as they host Saint Martin's University in their second conference series this season. The Yellowjackets (14-12-1, 10-10) are currently in the third and final spot for the Great Northwest Athletic Conference Championship Tournament.
 
If the GNAC Championship Tournament started today MSUB would enter as a No. 3 seed. Following their extremely productive offensive weekend the Yellowjackets now rank No. 1 in the GNAC in on base percentage (.375). They also rank No. 2 in slugging percentage (.401), runs scored (198), and runs batted in (179). On the mound, the Jackets rank No. 3 in opposing batting average (.293) and earned runs allowed (177).
 
Brody Miller had a big weekend and earned Red Lion GNAC Player of the Week honors and NCBWA Player of the Week honors; and has moved up into the tenth best hitter spot in the GNAC. Against Western Oregon he recorded 13 hits, two home runs, and 10 RBIs in 20 at bats. On the season Miller is batting .331, slugging .419 and tallied a .403 on base percentage. Miller has a total of 45 hits, 22 runs, 25 RBIs, six doubles, two home runs and 57 total bases in 136 bat attempts.
 
Drew Fosnes (.324), Colby Robison (.324) and Austin Rue (.310) are also batting over 300. Fosnes leads the team in slugging percentage (.602), on base percentage, home runs (5), RBIs (26) and total bases (65). Robison is first on the team in runs (27), doubles (8) and stolen bases (6); and second on the team in total hits (43). Rue is second on the team in runs (26) and stolen bases (4), while recording 35 hits and 19 RBIs. Fosnes, Miller and Robison all rank in among the top 20 batters in the GNAC.
 
The hurlers continue to remain solid on the season, with Joe Andriolo, Brady Muller and Samuel Paterson all ranking among the top 15 pitchers in the conference. Samuel Paterson has quietly been disrupting the opposing teams' offenses this season. In his most recent outing, he bested Western Oregon's offense to seal the series split; recording his third win of the season. Paterson struck out four batters and only allowed three earned runs, while pitching the full length of the game (7 innings). On the season he ranks second on the team in wins (3) and strikeouts (27). He has made eight appearances, with all being starts, and pitched 40 total innings.
 
Muller is 4-2 in his eight starts this season, with an ERA of 3.86. He leads the team with 38 strikeouts. Andriolo is posting a 4.93 ERA in 45.2 innings pitched with eight starts; recording an opposing batting average of .270. 
 
The Saints have not experienced much success this season, only winning one GNAC contest, and three overall. Their one conference victory was against MSUB however, where Saint Martin's won 4-0 in the second contest on the March 9 double-header. In the GNAC the Saints rank last in batting average (.247) and earned run average (6.79); and have only scored 113 runs compared to their opponents 233. Despite the team struggles, Travis Shaw and Bobby Twedt have turned in solid individual performances thus far, combining for 74 hits, 29 runs, 30 RBIs, and 96 total bases.
 
“Huge series for us this weekend; with only three GNAC weekends left for us, we are down to crunch time to make a move in the conference standings,” stated head coach Rob Bishop. “Saint Martin's is a much better team than their record is showing and we will need to continue playing well in order to get the result we are looking for.”
 
Both the Saturday, April 13 double-header and Sunday, April 14 double-header will start at 1:00 p.m. if Yellowjacket fans are not able to attend either event you can click the links provided (Video, Live Stats) to stay tuned to all of the live action.