Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

ELLENSBURG, Wash.  – The Montana State University Billings Softball team split a pair of games Saturday, Mar. 15 against Central Washington University.
 
Montana State University Billings (6-9, 1-1 Great Northwest Athletic Conference) won their first game against Central Washington University (12-5, 5-1) in eight innings, 6-4 and then lost a close game 1-2 in the second game of the double-header.
 
MSUB 6, CWU 4 (in eight innings)
 
It took an extra inning, but Montana State University Billings won their first game of the season against Central Washington with a two-run homerun by Katie Schermele in the eighth inning for MSU Billings to get their first conference win of the season.
 
It was a tie-game up through the first seven innings of the game.  Central Washington struck early as they picked up one run in the second inning and three in the third.  The Wildcats first run was a single RBI home run to center by Katie Focher. 
 
MSU Billings would add a run in the top of the third when Aubrey Conceicao hit a double into left to bring in Bella Rovens.
 
In the third inning, CWU would add three more runs when Maikala Galusha hit a single to right field to bring in two runs, and on the same play another run would cross the plate as Galusha got caught trying to go to second base to give the Wildcats the early lead. 
 
MSUB would add another two runs in the fifth inning and one in the sixth to tie the game at 4-all.  Rovens again crossed the plate with Samantha Jo Everett on the same play.  In the sixth Emily Osborne would score a run off a single by Rovens. 
 
The tie score at 4-all would send the game to an eighth inning.  MSUB's Katie Schermele would come up big for the Yellowjackets as she hit a two-shot homerun to right field to score Osborn, who had reached on an error to give MSUB the lead by two.  CWU would be unable to come up with any more runs as MSU Billings would get their first conference win in dramatic fashion.
 
Jessica Campbell got the start on the mound for the Yellowjackets.  She would go four innings, giving up six hits and four earned runs.  Amanda Todd (1-4) would come in going the final four innings, giving up three hit and no runs to earn the win.
 
Maria Gau pitched a complete game for Central Washington, giving up 11 hits and six runs, four being earned to earn the loss, and move her to 6-2 on the season.
 
"We played good team ball today," Head Coach Lisa Allen said.  "In game 1, Jessica Campbell and Amanda Todd combined for the win keeping Central to 4 runs. Our offense then did a good job of battling, putting the ball in play, and taking advantage of errors. Katie Schermele came up big in the 8th with a 2 run home run to win the game."
 
 
CWU 2, MSUB 1
 
Game two would also be decided by a homerun, but this time by Central Washington.  MSU Billings would score one run in the third inning when Taylor Hoke hit a single to right to bring in Rovens.
 
This time it would be CWU's Jill McDaniels who would hit a two-run shot over the right field fence to take the lead at 2-1.
 
Both teams would be unable to add any more runs as both stranded seven runners on the bases.
 
Amanda Roark pitched all six innings for the Yellowjackets.  She gave up seven hits, including the homerun that brought in two runners.  Roark is now 0-1 on the season.
 
Kiana Wood (6-2) pitched a complete game for the Wildcats, giving up and one earned run.
 
"Our team also played well in the second game," Coach Allen said.  "Amanda Roark had a complete game only giving up 2 runs on a 2 run home run. Our defense made some great plays for Roark. Unfortunately, our offense couldn't string the hits together for some more runs. Overall it was a good day for us."
 
MSU Billings will have two more games tomorrow against Central Washington.  Those games are scheduled for a 1 PM Pacific Time start.  Live stats will be available at MSUBSports.com.
 
 
 
MT State Billings 6, Central Washington 4 (Mar 15, 2014 at Ellensburg, WA)
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MT State Billings... 001 021 02 -  6 11  2      (6-8, 1-4 GNAC)
Central Washington.. 013 000 00 -  4  9  3      (11-5, 4-1 GNAC)
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Pitchers: MT State Billings - Campbell,Jessica; Todd,Amanda(5) and . Central Washington - Gau
and .
Win-Todd,Amanda(1-4)  Loss-Gau(6-2)  T-1:43  A-0
HR MSUB - Schermele,Katie.
HR CWU - Focher (1).
Game: MSUBCWU1
 

Central Washington 2, MT State Billings 1 (Mar 15, 2014 at Ellensburg,WA)

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MT State Billings... 100 000 0 -  1  6  0      (6-9, 1-5 GNAC)

Central Washington.. 002 000 X -  2  7  0      (12-5, 5-1 GNAC)

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Pitchers: MT State Billings - Roark,Amanda and . Central Washington - Wood and .

Win-Wood(6-2)  Loss-Roark,Amanda(0-1)  T-1:45  A-278

HR CWU - McDaniels (5).

Game: MSUBCWU2