LAS VEGAS – For the second straight day, MSU Billings ends the day 1-1 at the Sixth Annual Desert Stinger tournament. The Yellowjackets completed another upset on the day with an 8-6 win over No. 14 Augustana (S.D.), before dropping a game against CSU San Marcos in game two.
 
Taylor Hoke had another impressive day at the plate for Montana State University Billings (2-2) connecting on 4-7 for the day, 4-4 in the game against Augustana College (3-1). Batting in the ninth spot, freshman Heather Tracy was also 4-7 in the two games. The Yellowjackets had 26 hits on Saturday, putting their power on display as they outhit their opponents by seven.
 
GAME 1 (MSUB 8, #14 Augustana (S.D.), 6)
 
Hoke started off the game with a solo shot to left field. The senior shortstop finished the game 4-4, with two homeruns, five RBI's, five putouts, two assists, and two runs.
 
The No. 14 Vikings answered scoring two in the first and one in the second to take a 3-1 lead. MSU Billings had two runs in the third and two in the fourth as the Yellowjackets made it a 5-4 game heading into the fifth inning. Hoke had her second homerun of the day, and her third of the tournament scoring Bella Rovens. Myrissa Prince hit a double and Rovens a single in the fourth inning to score both runs.
 
Jenelle Trautmann led the Augustana (S.D.) attack in the third inning hitting a bases clearing double to add three runs to the scoreboard, but was thrown out at third as she tried to stretch the hit to a triple. Traumann was also 4-4 on the day, batting in four RBI's for the Vikings.
 
Down by one, MSU Billings was able pull out three runs in the bottom of the seventh for the win. Tracy got it started for the Yellowjackets hitting a leadoff single loading the bases after a batter reached on an error and another walked. Hoke then singled to center to drive in two runs to give MSU-Billings a 7-6 lead. The Yellowjackets pushed the lead to two on an RBI single from Kelsey Devlin to take an 8-6 lead.
 
"Our team did an awesome job of coming back for the win today," MSUB head coach Lisa Allen said. "We had a few base running miscues, but our offense and defense responded nicely, led by Taylor Hoke. The pitching staff did a good job of coming in and getting the job done as well."
 
Mary Grace Bywater pitched one and one-third innings with Jessyka MacDonald (2-3) coming in pitching five innings, fanning four hits for the win. Megan Dettling came in pitching two-thirds of an inning for the save.
 
Game 2 (CSU San Marcos 10, MSUB 5)
 
The Cougars used an eight-run second inning to put the Yellowjackets in a deep hole early, and MSUB was unable to counter offensively as the 'Jackets had more hits in the game, (11-10), but were unable to push runs across the plate, leaving three straight innings with bases loaded.
                                                                                                                                                                    
MSU Billings took a three-game lead scoring two runs in the second and one in the third to take a 3-0 advantage at the bottom of the second.
 
The big inning for CSU San Marcos came in the third, as the Cougars scored eight runs on five hits.
 
The Yellowjackets scored two more runs. In the fifth inning MSUB loaded the bases with a walk and two singles. Bella Rovens was hit by pitch to bring in the run on third. Catcher Brittney Sanders added MSUB's final run of the game in the sixth inning with a solo home run.
 
Sanders was 3-4 in the game with two RBI's and scored two runs. Emily Osborn was 2-4 with two RBI's.
 
Pitcher Amanda Roark (0-1) fanned four hits and gave up four runs for the loss.
 
"We had one bad inning as a defense, but we are proud of how the team responded after," Coach Allen said. "We had several runners on, but weren't able to capitalize. Our pitching staff did an amazing job fighting through a tough strike zone the entire game."
 
"Overall today, the team played very well " Coach Allen continued. "We are glad to see how mentally tough our pitchers were with the strike zone. Our defense made some great plays today and our offense is continuing to get hits."
 
Tomorrow MSU Billings wraps up the Sixth Annual Desert Stinger with a game against CSU Dominguez Hills followed by a non-tournament game against the University of Texas of the Permian Basin.