Box Score 1 | Box Score 2


LAS VEGAS – The Montana State University Billings Softball Team won both of their games against the University of Hawai'i at Hilo by scores of 7-6 and 7-6 on Wednesday, Feb. 5.

In the first game, Hawai'i at Hilo (1-3) scored three runs in the bottom of the first inning to take a 3-0 lead.  MSU Billings would counter with a run in the top of the third as Kelsey Devlin singled to center to bring in Cori Gammon.  The Vulcans would answer with one more run in the bottom of the third to keep their lead at three, 4-1. 
 
Montana State University Billings (3-1) would explode in the fifth inning getting six runs off of seven hits.  Emily Osborn brought in a run as she singled to right field.  Then, Taylor Hoke would send a ball to the fence in right to bring in two batters.  Catcher Brittney Sanders would step up to the plate and put a ball over the right field fence bringing in Hoke and Osborn, and giving the Yellowjackets the lead at 7-4.
 
Hawai'i Hilo would score two more runs in the sixth and seventh, but MSUB would hold the Vulcans there.  The Yellowjackets would get the stop in the seventh, when with the tying run on second, Bella Rovens caught a fly ball in center field to hold the Vulcans at 6, ending the game.
 
Mary Grace Bywater would get the win for MSU Billings.
 
"We had another good day today as a team," Head Coach Lisa Allen said. "We were faced with multiple tough situations such as being behind and getting out of bases loaded situations, but our team managed to pull through."
 
The second game would start much differently than the first with MSUB jumping out to the early lead scoring four runs in the second inning to get the 4-0 jump.
 
Hawai'i at Hilo would respond with four runs of their own in the top of the third to tie the game.
 
The Yellowjackets and Vulcans would trade runs and enter the seventh inning tied at 6-all.
 
At the bottom of the seventh MSU Billings would need one run to end the game.  They would get it off the bat of Sanders as she sent one up the middle bringing Kelsey Devlin home to end the game at 7-6.
 
MSUB finished the game out-hitting UHH 11-9 hits in the second game.  Jessyka MacDonald would record the win for the Yellowjackets.
 
"Mary Grace and Amanda Roark did a great job of starting the games and keeping us in the game," Coach Allen said.  "Jessica Campbell and Jessyka MacDonald did amazing jobs coming in and getting results to end the game. Our defense has been playing errorless ball and our offense has continued to do well in the box. I am extremely proud of the girls for coming back in both games and fighting all seven innings to pull out the close wins."
 
Next up for the Yellowjackets is the Desert Stinger Tournament which begins on Friday.  MSUB will play Azusa Pacific and Humboldt State at 4:30 and 7 PM respectively on Friday, Feb. 7.  For a schedule of all of the games and other tournament information, please visit our website at MSUBSports.com.   Live video and live stats for the all of MSU Billings' games, as well as all of the tournament games can be found at MSUBSports.com.