GNAC Tournament Release                                                                                                                                        GNAC Weekly Softball Release

BILLINGS, Mont.  – The Montana State University Billings Softball team is headed to California this week for the Tournament of Champions hosted by California State Stanislaus.
 
The Yellowjackets are travelling to Turlock, Calif. for the 13th annual Tournament of Champions presented by the Turlock Convention & Visitors Bureau.  MSU Billings will appear in the tournament for the fifth straight season, and seventh time overall. 
 
With a month left in their schedule, the Yellowjackets are looking forward to playing some regional games in the sunshine state.  Playing in the tournament are a total of 24 teams, including all seven of the Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC) Schools who compete with a softball team.  MSU Billings is 9-14 and 4-10 in conference play.  The Yellowjackets will not face any of their conference schools, but rather five schools from Calif. on Friday and Saturday, with Sunday being reserved for bracket play.  
 
"Our team is excited to be heading to some warm weather and to play some tough competition," Head Coach Lisa Allen said. "The two games that we are most looking forward to are against Humboldt and Dominguez Hills since we played them in Vegas."  
 
Last year the team went a disappointing 1-5 at the tournament.  This year the Yellowjackets will meet all-familiar opponents in: Cal State Chico, Humboldt State, host-school Cal State Stanislaus, Cal State East Bay, and Cal State Dominguez Hills with at least one more game to be played in the championship rounds.
 
California State University, Chico, Friday, Apr. 4, 8:45 am, PT
The Wildcats are 17-14 overall and 13-11 in the California Collegiate Athletics Association.  CSU Chico started out the season 3-9, but had a run in the middle of the season winning eight straight games.  Last weekend the Wildcats split their games with Cal State San Bernardino winning two, and dropping two.  The team is batting .282 and is currently sixth in the CCAA.  Cal State Chico's Emily McEnaney is batting .342 on the season with 27 hits, and leads the team in doubles (9), homeruns (3), and RBI's (24).  MSUB is 3-2 all-time against the Wildcats, winning their game at last year's tournament, 2-1.
 
No. 8 Humboldt State University, Friday, Apr. 4, 11:15 am, PT
After being ranked No. 6 in the National Fastpitch Collegiate Association (NFCA) national Div. II poll, HSU has dropped to No. 8 this week.  The 'Jacks are 28-9, 18-6 in the CCAA.  This will be the second time this season the Yellowjackets have faced HSU, having lost a close contest 3-4 at the MSUB-hosted Desert Stinger in early February.  On the mound Katie Obbema is ranked seventh in the CCAA with a combined ERA of 2.51 and is ranked No. 2 in wins with a 14-5 record.  Sarah Fox has a .429 batting average, and is ranked No. 5 in the CCAA. 
 
California State University, Stanislaus, Friday, Apr. 4, 5:45 pm, PT
Host-school the Warriors are 10-17 and 6-22 in the CCAA.  CSUS is on a 12-game slump and in last weekend's four-game series, managed only three runs to No. 20 UC San Deigo's 33.  The Yellowjackets are 2-4 overall against the Warriors, and lost both games last season by scores of 1-3.
 
California State University, East Bay, Saturday, Apr. 5, 9 am, PT
The Pioneers are 14-18 and 9-15 in the CCAA.  Last weekend at home, CSUEB won three games against Cal State Dominguez Hills and lost one.  The Yellowjackets have only faced the Pioneers once before, having won their game 6-5 (9) in extra innings back in 2010.  Cal State East Bay is ranked No. 2 in their conference in homeruns with 21.  Chelsie Kakela is batting .309 and has seven homeruns on the year which ranks her No. 7 in the conference.
 
California State University, Dominguez Hills, Saturday, Apr. 5, 1:30 pm, PT
So far this season, the Toros are 15-23 and 9-19 in the CCAA.  CSUDH won their last game against CSUEB, but have dropped the last nine of 10 games.  The Yellowjackets are 4-6 overall against the Toros.  MSUB faced Cal State Dominguez Hills at this year's Desert Stinger, but were shut-out in that contest losing 0-8 in six innings.  For the Toros, Adriana Sanchez is batting .387 with a team leading 46 hits, 14 doubles, nine homeruns, and 33 RBI's. 
 
Montana State University Billings
The Yellowjackets are 9-14 and 4-10 in the GNAC.  MSU Billings is on a four-game losing streak.  Last weekend MSUB got in two games against fellow-GNAC school Saint Martin's University before being rained out on Sunday.  Aubrey Conceicao's .384 batting average has her ranked No. 9 in the GNAC.  Conceicao is first on the team in hits (24), doubles (7), and triples (1).  Mary Grace Bywater leads the 'Jackets in the circle and is ranked No. 7 in the GNAC with a 3.05 combined ERA.  Jessyka MacDonald has 38 strikeouts on the season which is No. 6 in the GNAC. 
 
"All of the competition out there will be will good and it will be good for us to face these teams," Coach Allen said.  "Friday will be a test for this team to play 3 games in one day, but I know they are up for the challenge. This week we have spent more time on mentally training in order to prepare for the weekend ahead of us."
 
MSU Billings has advanced to their bracket's championships game three times, and has an overall record of 16-23 at the tournament.  MSUB plays in the state of California for the sixth straight year, and ninth year in the program's history.  The Yellowjackets are 23-33 in the Golden State in program history. 
 
For all the results, plus more information regarding the tournament, please visit the tournament website HERE.  MSUBSports.com will have all of MSUB's scores, plus highlights following the conclusion of each day's contests.

2014 Participating Teams (Listed by Pool):
 

Pool A*	Pool B*	Pool C*	Pool D
Cal State Monterey Bay	Academy of Art	Azusa Pacific	Central Washington
Cal State San Bernardino	Cal Baptist	Cal State Dominguez Hills	Montana State Billings
Northwest Nazarene	Chaminade	Cal State East Bay	Simon Fraser
San Francisco State	Dominican	Cal State Stanislaus	Saint Martin's
Sonoma State	Hawaii Pacific	Chico State	Western Oregon
UC San DIego	Notre Dame de Namur	Humboldt State	Western Washington

*Only five teams advance to Sunday from Pools A, B , & C. Azusa Pacific, Northwest Nazarene & Cal Baptist will not be playing on Sunday.