BILLINGS, Mont. – Jessyka MacDonald tossed a complete game and Heather Tracy drove in three runs to propel the Montana State University Billings softball team to a 4-2 Game 1 victory over Simon Fraser, but the Yellowjackets' comeback effort fell short in a 10-9 Game 2 loss as the teams split a Great Northwest Athletic Conference doubleheader Saturday afternoon at Avitus Group Stadium.
 
A slick double play turned by Taylor Hoke and Aubrey Conceicao got the 'Jackets out of a jam in the top of the seventh in Game 1, as the defensive effort stranded two SFU baserunners and ended the game to give MSUB the win.
 
The Yellowjackets hit four home runs – two by senior first baseman Emily Osborn – in the second game, but only Osborn's first drove in more than one run as MSUB came up one run shy in the comeback effort.
 
With the split MSUB moved to 11-14 on the season and the 'Jackets are now 4-6 in GNAC play. Simon Fraser is 11-11 overall and 2-4 in GNAC contests.
 
The Clan led by as much as 9-2 in Game 2, using a three-run second and five-run third to establish the lead. Leadoff batter Taylor Gillis finished with four hits for SFU on the day, and Rachel Proctor homered in each game.
 
MacDonald was selected as the St. Vincent Healthcare Player of the Day, logging 4 2/3 innings in relief in the second game after throwing all seven in Game 1.
 
"Mac did a really great job keeping their hitters off balance the whole time in Game 1," commented MSUB head coach Lisa Allen. "Our defense played really well behind her too."
 
Tracy finished the day with four hits and stole two bases for the Yellowjackets.

Game 1 – MSU Billings 4, Simon Fraser 2
 
MacDonald carried a shutout into the seventh inning, but Proctor launched a two-run home run over the fence in left field to get the Clan on the scoreboard and cut MSUB's lead in half at 4-2.
 
SFU didn't stop there, as an infield single and a hit by pitch put the tying run on base. Alex Baylak moved the runners over with a ground out, but Hoke snagged a sharp line drive, and fired a throw to Conceicao at second to double off Taylor Lundrigan and end the game.
 
MacDonald finished with nine strikeouts and three walks, scattering six hits in her sixth complete game of the season. The senior improved to 6-5 on the season, while SFU starter Kelsie Hawkins fell to 6-2 with the loss.
 
Conceicao and Osborn set the stage with back-to-back singles to open the second inning, and a groundout by Cameron Cassinelli moved them each up a base. Tracy came up with a clutch two-out base hit up the middle that plated both runners and gave MSUB a 2-0 lead.
 
MSUB doubled its lead in the sixth inning, when Kelsey Devlin and Cassinelli led off the inning with a single and a double, respectively. Tracy had another RBI-single, and came around to score on a passed ball to make the score 4-0.
 
"Heather has been doing really awesome this year and it has been really fun to watch her," Allen said. "She loves to use her speed to her advantage, and it's really nice to have that on the team."
 
"I was pretty comfortable at the plate, I just had to make contact and that's my job," Tracy commented. "We have confidence in our team, and we just stayed relaxed and trusted in each other to get those final outs."
 
Bella Rovens finished Game 1 3-for-3 at the plate, and the Clan left 11 runners on base compared with eight by the 'Jackets.
 
Game 2 – Simon Fraser 10, MSU Billings 9
 
A solo home run by Hoke in the sixth and one each by Cassinelli and Osborn in the seventh got the 'Jackets within one run after trailing 9-2, but SFU held on for the wild 10-9 victory to earn the split.
 
Cassinelli finished the second game 4-for-4 at the plate, scoring twice and adding a double to her home run for eight total bases.
 
MSUB starter Megan Dettling allowed four runs on six walks in 1 1/3 innings pitched.
 
SFU manufactured a run in the first inning thanks to a bases-loaded walk drawn by Proctor that plated Robyn Mogavero.
 
The 'Jackets responded with a pair of runs to take the lead in the bottom of the first, as Hoke punched a base hit into right field to bring home Cori Gammon and Rovens.
 
The Clan got to Dettling in the second however, as two walks and an infield single loaded the bases to start the frame. Mogavero and Lundrigan each drove in runs on groundouts, and a walk to Proctor plated a third as SFU moved ahead 4-2.
 
Tracy picked up her fourth hit of the day in the bottom of the second, but she and Cassinelli were left on base as MSUB failed to score.
 
SFU went off for five runs in the third, extending its advantage out to 9-2. Mogavero had an RBI-double, Danielle Raison plated one with a single and Proctor drove in two more on a single into center field.
 
The Yellowjackets responded however, as Osborn drove her seventh home run of the season over the fence in left field and brought home Conceicao to help cut into the deficit. Tracy plated Kelsey Devlin with a ground out, and Cassinelli came home on a ground ball by Rovens that brought the 'Jackets within three, 9-6.
 
Proctor responded with a home run in the fifth, as her solo blast proved to be the deciding factor in the game.
 
"We just had a fire in us the whole time today," Tracy said. "We just kept fighting and we never let up, and we just had the determination that we were going to come back."
 
"We are pretty fortunate with the offense that we have in that it is very potent," Allen said. "Another freshman, Cameron Cassinelli, had a really good day for us in Game 2 and I am proud of how she swung the bat. I'm glad that our girls fought back in the end and didn't give up. That says a lot about our team's character."
 
THE BUZZ: The home run for Cassinelli was the first in her collegiate career…Osborn is now No. 4 all-time in MSUB career home runs with 24…MacDonald's nine strikeouts were a season high.
 
COMING UP: The teams are set for a noon doubleheader on Sunday as the series wraps up at Avitus Group Stadium.