BILLINGS, Mont. – A two-hit shutout by senior Jessyka MacDonald capped off a 10-inning pitching performance that propelled the Montana State University Billings softball team to 11-1 and 8-0 victories over Simon Fraser in Great Northwest Athletic Conference action Sunday at Avitus Group Stadium.
 
SFU managed just five total hits off of MacDonald, who struck out four and walked just one in her back-to-back complete games. MacDonald was named the St. Vincent Healthcare Player of the Day for MSUB, with her third career shutout.
 
"Mac did a really good job attacking their batters, and she kept her pitch count low which is one of the reasons we went with her (in the second game)," commented MSUB head coach Lisa Allen. "Their hitters didn't figure her out and she really stepped up. We are really proud of her and what she did this weekend."
 
Taylor Hoke and Cameron Cassinelli each homered for the second day in-a-row, and the former drove in four runs including the first three of the day for the 'Jackets.
 
Leadoff hitter Bella Rovens finished the day 4-for-6 with four runs scored and a stolen base.
 
"One of the things I am most proud of is that we had double-figure hits in every game this weekend," Allen said. "Our offense did a really good job of finding a way on."
 
"Today was a really good day offensively, we came out swinging the bats and we are a really aggressive team," Rovens said. "If I get on I have no doubt that whoever is behind me is going to move me over and I'm going to score."
 
SFU starter Kelsie Hawkins (6-4) took losses in both games, but only six of the runs she allowed were earned and she did not walk a batter in either game.
 
With the wins MSUB improved to 13-14 on the season and pulled even at 6-6 in GNAC play. The Clan fell to 11-13 and are now 2-6 in conference action.
 
Game 1 – MSU Billings 11, Simon Fraser 1 (5 Innings)
 
Rovens, Hoke and Emily Osborn each had a pair of hits as the 'Jackets took care of business early and backed an outstanding start by MacDonald.
 
Rachel Proctor hit a home run for the third straight game for SFU, accounting for two of her team's hits and its only run of the day. Hawkins struck out one and allowed two earned runs on five hits in two innings pitched.
 
Rovens got the game started with a single in the first, and Hoke's second home run in as many games made the score 2-0 MSUB.
 
The Yellowjackets' senior right hander retired the first four batters she faced, before working out of a jam in the second inning and stranding runners on second and third.
 
After Brittney Sanders was hit by a pitch and Osborn walked in the third inning, Cassinelli cleared the fence in left field to push the 'Jackets ahead 5-0.
 
Rachel Proctor gave SFU a sign of life with a solo home run in the top of the fourth, but MSUB put the game away in the bottom of the inning. Aubrey Conceicao had an RBI-double, and Osborn and Devlin each drove in one with a base hit as MSUB put up six runs in the inning.
 
MacDonald got through the Clan's lineup easily in the fifth, as MSUB picked up the run-rule victory.
 
"I felt really comfortable, and was confident in myself and my defense," MacDonald commented. "Our defense is so solid and I can always rely on them to get the job done."
 
Game 2 – MSU Billings 8, Simon Fraser 0 (5 Innings)
 
MacDonald returned to the circle in Game 2 and proved to be at her best, baffling the Clan's lineup through four no-hit innings and finishing up with a two-hit shutout.
 
Hawkins tossed 2 2/3 innings, allowing eight runs on 11 hits with a strikeout and no walks. Jessica Goulet threw the final 1 1/3 innings, allowing just one hit and one walk with a strikeout and no runs.
 
The 'Jackets again wasted no time scoring, as Conceicao's first home run of the season highlighted a four-run outburst after MacDonald retired the side in the top of the first.
 
Four more runs in the third was all it took to support MacDonald as the 'Jackets won by the run rule for the second game in-a-row. Heather Tracy stroked a double into left field that plated a pair of runs and a line-drive base hit by Cori Gammon into center drove in two more to make it 8-0 in the third.
 
The 'Jackets played stellar defense behind MacDonald with no errors in the second game.
 
THE SERIES: MSUB outhit Simon Fraser 47-22 and hit seven home runs over the four games…Rovens was the team's leading hitter at .615 (8-for-13)…Tracy hit .500 (6-for-12) with six RBIs and four stolen bases in four attempts…Hoke hit two home runs, had a team-high seven RBIs, didn't strike out and made 16 of 17 plays at shortstop…Cassinelli and Osborn each also had a pair of home runs in the series, and Osborn scored a team-high seven runs…MacDonald had a 1.25 ERA in her four appearances, striking out 15 and walking six while allowing three earned runs…the bottom of the fourth inning in Game 2 was the only inning all series that the 'Jackets were retired in order and did not place at least one runner on base.
 
CAREER WATCH: Osborn moved into the No. 2 spot all-time in career RBIs with 116…The current MSUB record is 130 held by Kelly Parsons (2008-11)…Osborn is also No. 4 in career hits with 160…Hoke moved into the No. 3 spot in career assists   with 224, with the record being 304 held by Leslie Davis (2006-09)…MacDonald is now No. 8 in the MSUB record books in appearances with 68 and fifth in career wins with 26.
 
NEXT UP: MSUB heads to Turlock, Calif., for the Tournament of Champions hosted by Cal State Stanislaus March 27-29. The Yellowjackets will face six in-region opponents, starting with Cal State Monterey Bay and Sonoma State in a doubleheader on March 27.