ELLENSBURG, Wash. – A game-tying solo home run by
Luke Reinschmidt sent the series finale between the Montana State University Billings and Central Washington baseball teams into extra innings, and the game has been suspended due to darkness tied at 3-3 in the top of the eighth, to be resumed Monday at 1 p.m. Mountain time.
The Yellowjackets received a huge three-run home run from
Trevor Nix in the top of the eighth in Game 1, sparking a come-from-behind 11-9 victory. Scheduled for seven innings, the final game of the series was prolonged by Reinschmidt's clutch blast and MSUB starter
Jake Campeau's shutdown inning in the bottom of the seventh.
With the win in Game 1, MSUB improved to 5-10 on the season and 2-1 in Great Northwest Athletic Conference play. Central Washington is now 6-5 and 1-2 in conference action.
"This was a great team win for us," said MSUB head coach
Rob Bishop. "Trevor had a great game at the plate and we definitely needed someone to put us over the top."
CWU's Darren Honeysett hit his third home run of the series in the second game Sunday, and also had a big RBI double in Game 1 of the doubleheader.
A full recap of Game 2 will follow on Monday upon the completion of the series. "The suspended game is a challenge for both teams, because it impacts pitching so much," commented Bishop. "It should be an exciting finish tomorrow."
Game 1 – MSU Billings 11, Central Washington 9 The middle of MSUB's order combined for 10 hits and had all eight of the team's RBIs. Nix had great timing with his first home run of the season, as it pushed the Yellowjackets back in front, 10-8 with two outs in the eighth.
Benjamin Dunbar answered with a solo shot in the bottom of the eighth to pull CWU within one, but the 'Jackets added an insurance run in the top of the ninth as Reinschmidt scored on a balk.
MSUB starter
Tanner Johnson lasted 4 1/3 innings, striking out four and scattering five hits. Despite allowing six runs, only two were earned as CWU capitalized on four MSUB errors.
Jake Mills earned the victory for MSUB, throwing the final three innings and helping the 'Jackets hold on for the win.
Junior right hander
Lee Busto was crucial in relief of Johnson, as he blanked CWU for 1 2/3 innings and did not allow a hit while striking out one. "Our pitching staff did a great job keeping us in the game, and Jake was solid to close it out," Bishop said.
For the Wildcats, Alhanon Miller was tagged with his first loss of the season after surrendering the late home run to Nix. CWU starter Mitch Yada threw three innings and struck out four, while allowing five runs on six hits with a pair of walks.
The lead changed hands six times throughout the game, but in the end it was big individual innings from MSUB offensively that made the difference.
Trailing 3-0 in the third, Reinschmidt,
Brody Miller and
Kevin Toon strung three singles together to give the 'Jackets their first two runs of the game.
Colter Sternhagen followed with a big two-out single that plated Toon and Miller, as MSUB jumped ahead 4-3.
The Wildcats responded in the bottom of the frame, as a pair of walks and an error loaded the bases. A hit batter and a wild pitch later and CWU was back on top, 5-4.
MSUB picked up two more runs in the fourth thanks in part to a CWU error, and a single Wildcat run in the fifth evened the score at 6-6.
Reinschmidt drove
Kyle Durbin in with a double down the line in right in the sixth, but another fielding miscue by the 'Jackets in the seventh allowed the tying run to cross the plate. After homering twice on Saturday, Honeysett split the gap in left center with a double that gave CWU an 8-7 edge, but MSUB took the lead for good with Nix's heroics in the eighth.
Nix was one of five Yellowjackets to finish with a pair of hits in the game, and he, Toon and Sternhagen each had multiple RBIs.
Honeysett finished 3-for-5 for the Wildcats, and he and Dunbar each had a pair of RBIs. Jonathan Dailey was 2-for-4 with a double and a run scored, and he made six plays defensively at shortstop.
Game 2 – MSU Billings 3, Central Washington 3 – SUSPENDED, TOP 8TH RECORD WATCH: With four at bats in the first game, Miller became the MSUB career leader in that category, upping his total to 586…the previous record of 585 was held by Matt Schoonover, who played at MSUB from 2007-10…Miller is now five hits away from tying the all-time mark of 213, also set by Schoonover…the senior second baseman also needs just three more assists to tie Schoonover's career record of 377.
THE BUZZ: Chandler Tracy of Saint Martin's also hit his sixth home run of the season Sunday, as he and Reinschmidt kept pace with one another as the co-leaders of the GNAC…with the Game 1 victory, MSUB has now won four of its last five games.
NEXT UP: MSUB remains on the road for four games against Cal Baptist this week. The series spans March 4-7, with a single nine-inning game each day. The teams square off at 7 p.m. Mountain time the first three evenings, and are set for a noon first pitch on getaway day Saturday.
