GNAC Release

BILLINGS, Mont.  – This week the Montana State University Billings Softball team will host their final four home games of the season on Friday, Apr. 11 and Saturday Apr. 12.
 
This weekend will be a flurry of activity as MSU Billings will have special events on both of the final two days' worth of home softball games.  MSU Billings (12-17, 4-10 Great Athletic Northwest Conference) will play Northwest Nazarene University (10-24, 2-9 GNAC) on both days.
 
MSUB is coming back from the Tournament of Champions in Turlock, Calif.  The Yellowjackets went 3-3 over the three days.  The Yellowjackets split six games but were close to winning all six of its contests, losing by two runs to No. 8 Humboldt State (3-5) and by one run to No. 20 UC San Diego (0-1) and Chico State (7-8).    Amanda Todd split her two decisions in the circle and had a 2.10 ERA, allowing just seven runs (five earned).  She struck out better than one batter per inning, fanning 19 in 16 2/3 innings.  Aubrey Conceicao was 11-22 for a .500 batting average to lead MSUB.  She had 11 hits in 22 at bats, scored five runs and drove in six.  Among her hits were 10 singles and a home run. 
 
Conceicao is batting .411 on the season and is ranked No. 5 in the GNAC.  She is also No. 9 in the conference in hits with 39, No. 9 in doubles with seven, and No. 6 in triples.
 
Pitchers Mary Grace Bywater and Jessyka MacDonald are ranked No. 9 and No. 11 in the GNAC with a 3.71 and a 3.90 ERA respectively.  After last weekend's stellar performances, Amanda Todd has moved up and is now ranked No. 13 in the conference with a 4.34 combined ERA.  MacDonald is ranked No. 6 in the GNAC in strikeouts with 54, and after striking out 19 batters last weekend, Todd is now ranked right behind MacDonald at No. 7 with 49 total strikeouts.
 
Northwest Nazarene University was also at the tournament in Turlock.  The Crusaders were 2-3 for the weekend. 
 
Noelle Wright posted a 2-1 record as the Crusaders won two Tournament of Champion games for the first time.  In their five previous tournament appearances they had won a total of two games.  Wright had a 4.08 ERA and pitched two complete games.  NNU defeated Chaminade 5-4 and Notre Dame de Namur 3-2.
 
Kayla Sevier, batted 8-of-12 for the Crusaders, including two doubles and a triple.  She also drove in four runs.  Her batting average of .667 led the tournament.
 
Montana State University Billings will play Northwest Nazarene on Friday, Apr. 11, with the first pitch being thrown out at 1 pm.  Also on Friday before the game, MSUB Athletics will hold a groundbreaking ceremony for a new press box that is to be built for the 2014-15 season.  There will be a press conference to announce Avitus Group as the naming rights sponsor for the MSUB softball facility. The event will be held at MSUB's softball facility, Avitus Group Stadium, and begin at 12:30 pm. The community is invited to attend. Snacks and beverages will be provided.
 
Friday's games will include live stats, live video and for the second game of the double-header, live radio.  You can find the stats and video link on our website at MSUBSports.com.  The live radio broadcast can be found at KGHL 790 am and the link to that online is www.mtsportscast.com. 
 
Before Saturday's double-header scheduled for a 12 pm start time, MSU Billings will honor this year's three seniors who will be playing in their final games at home. 
 
Samantha Jo Everett and Breanna Wilson are both two-year Yellowjackets having both transferred for their junior season.  This season, Everett is second in the team with a .317 batting average and No. 20 in the GNAC.  She is also second on the team with her on-base percentage of .419 which is No. 12 in the conference.  This year, Wilson has played in 15 games for the Yellowjackets.  In her role as designated player, Wilson is batting .310, which is third-best on the team.
 
Amanda Todd is a four-year Yellowjacket.  This season she has pitched in 48.1 innings and has 42 strikeouts on the season.  In her career Todd has pitched in 278 innings with 283 strikeouts.
 
With 10 games left in their conference schedule, MSU Billings is four games back from Central Washington University who is in fourth place in the GNAC.  The conference takes four teams to the conference championships to the postseason.  The Yellowjackets have four games this weekend against Northwest Nazarene.  Next week, MSUB travels to Saint Martin's to play two games, before heading to Simon Fraser for their last four games of the regular season.
 
MSU Billings is 44-7 all-time against Northwest Nazarene.  The Yellowjackets are also a perfect 20-0 at home against the Crusaders.