Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

MONMOUTH Ore. – The Montana State University Billings baseball team spilt a pair of games with Great Northwest Athletic Conference Rival, Western Oregon University on Saturday.  MSUB won game three 7-4 in extra innings, while WOU won game four 8-0 and took the series 3-1. 

GAME 3: MSUB 7 WOU 4

The Yellowjackets picked up their second win of the season, and more importantly, their first win in conference play. 

WOU struck first, putting up three runs in the third-fifth innings and held a 3-0 advantage till the eighth inning. 

In the eighth inning MSUB erupted for their best inning, from an offensive standpoint, to score four runs. Trevor Nix (2-5) was the first batter to the plate for MSUB to start the inning and was walked.  Blake Loran (2-5) was up next and blasted a double to left field to advance Nix to third base.  Kevin Toon (3-6) then hit a single through left field which allowed Nix to score from third. 

Bret Bitow (2-4) then singled through left field as well and pushed Loran across home plate to cut the WOU lead to 3-2 with no outs. 

Brody Miller then singled through the left side which allowed both Toon and Bitow to score and in the process, give MSUB the 4-3 lead.

WOU would score one more unearned run in the bottom of the ninth to force extra innings with the score tied at 4-4.

It was not until the 11th inning that MSUB put the game on ice.  Nix and Loran both hit singles with one out to get themselves in scoring position.  Two batters later, Bitow was hit by a pitch and the bases were loaded for the next batter Luke Reinschmidt. 

Reinschmidt (1-5)   made his one hit count as he drove a single through the left side to score Nix and give MSUB the 5-4 advantage.  With the bases still loaded, Casey Merritt (1-6) stepped to the plate and hit a single to right field.  The hit allowed both Bitow and Loran to score and extend the Jacket lead 7-4. 

Bryon Baker (1-0) and the MSUB defense would do the rest as WOU was unable to muster anymore runs and managed no hits in their final at bat. 

Brady Muller started for MSUB going 4.0 innings allowing seven hits and three runs while striking out two Wolves.  Jacob Mills went 2.0 innings allowing just two hits and no runs along with striking out two WOU batters.

Baker pitched 4.0 innings allowing just one hit and one run while striking out a game high five batters.


GAME 4: MSUB 0 WOU 8

The Yelowjackets ran into a hot pitcher during game four.  Clack McKitrick dominated in the second game. He pitched the entire seven innings striking out three Yellowjackets and had seven walks. Forty-nine of his 104 pitches were strikes and MSUB could only manage two hits the entire game. Bitow and Reinschmidt both hit a single. 

Jake Campeau (0-3) got the nod to start for MSUB.  He went 1.2 innings and allowed five hits and five runs while striking out one wolf.  Joe Andriolo came in relief and went 2.1 innings giving up two hits and two runs.  Cody Cooper was next to come in and put in one inning allowing one hit and one run.  Lee Busto closed things out for MSUB going one inning allowing no hits and no runs.

MSUB drops to 2-14 overall and 1-3 in GNAC play.  They next play Saint Martin's University in double headers on Mar. 14th and 15th on the road.    

"The series at WOU was a tough one," head coach Rob Bishop said.  "We played inconsistently throughout but showed flashes of what we are capable of.  WOU is a solid team and definitely exposed us.  We will go back to work this week and prepare for SMU.