YAKIMA, Wash. - MSU Billings with its second upset in as many days, won its game against Saint Martin's 4-3 at the Great Northwest Athletic Conference softball tournament Friday at the Yakima Sports Complex.
 
Thursday the third-seeded Yellowjackets won their first game 6-1 over second seed Western Washington and today on Day 2 of the Championships, MSUB defeated the No. 1 seed Saint Martin's to advance to the title game to be played tomorrow at noon. 
 
The 'Jackets handed Saint Martin's (41-17) the loss in the tournament after having dropped the regular conference series to the Saints 3-1.
 
Jessyka MacDonald pitched her second complete game of the tournament picking up her 18th win of the season for the 'Jackets. Freshman designated player Cameron Cassinelli was 2-3 at the plate with a double and her second home run of the tournament. Second baseman Aubrey Conceicao was 2-4 and left fielder Amanda Barham was 1-2 and both were instrumental on the field as the Yellowjackets also had some stellar plays from their defense as Montana State University Billings (28-21) earned a berth in their first ever conference tournament championship game.
 
Both teams picked up runs in the first inning. MSU Billings struck first. With two outs, Taylor Hoke drew a walk, advancing to second on a wild pitch during the next batter. Brittney Sanders struck a RBI single deep into right field sending Hoke speeding around the bases for the first run of the game.
 
The Saints responded in the bottom of the inning with two runs. Leadoff Mary Dettling fought hard at the plate and singled through the left side. Next up, Lindsey Miller got caught on a popup bunt, but pitcher and utility Sam Munger fired a long ball for her sixth home run of the year to answer back as the Saints retook the lead 2-1.
 
Both teams marched through a quick second inning. At the top of the third, MSUB was able to capitalize on a SMU error to plate a run. The 'Jackets leadoff Bella Rovens reached first on a bobbled catch by the shortstop and advanced to third on a single from Barham. GNAC Co-Player of the Year Hoke smoked a RBI single into right field pushing Rovens across the plate retying the game at 2-2.
 
At the top of the fourth inning, Cassinelli hit her sixth double of the season to give MSUB the temporary lead. With Emily Osborn at first base, Cassinelli crushed the ball all the way to the left field fence sending Osborn hurtling around the bases for the run. In the bottom of the inning the Saints retied the game after a double from Dani Wall led to a sacrifice fly from Jackie Schmaeling.
 
In the sixth inning it was again Cassinelli who came up with the clutch hit. She crushed the game winning run to center field, her second hit of the game and second home run of the tournament, to put MSUB back up by 1 4-3.
 
MSUB did load the bases after her, but couldn't extend the two-out rally. The 'Jackets needed six outs for the win, and they got them.
 
MacDonald needed just three pitches to end the bottom of the sixth inning. She forced three fly outs with leftfielder Barham making one catch and right fielder Heather Tracy grabbing two.
 
At the bottom of the seventh, the MSUB defense was able to shut down the Saints' offense again. Conceicao made two huge plays at second. She laid out to her right side for the first out, making the throw across her body to beat the runner. Barham followed that up with a spectacular diving catch in foul territory for the second out and Conceicao, laying out on the opposite side this time, made another tough grab on a hard hit for the final out of the game.
 
"I am extremely proud of how our team played today," MSUB head coach Lisa Allen said. "Jessyka had another outstanding performance on the mound. The defense came up with some excellent plays including diving catches and our offense made an adjustment early in the game and hit hard throughout the game. This time we were able to make some timely hits for the win."
 
In the circle for MSUB, MacDonald (18-6) tossed her 16^th complete game of the season for the Yellowjackets. She scattered six hits, allowing three earned runs while fanning five. So far in the tournament, MacDonald has allowed just 10 hits and four runs in 14 innings, while walking two and striking out seven.
 
MSU Billings outhit SMU 9-6. The Yellowjackets were also error free as the Saints committed three. MSUB did leave eight runners stranded, including the bases loaded situation in the sixth inning, but SMU also left five.
 
Munger (23-5) pitched the complete game for Saint Martin's. She scattered nine hits and allowed three earned runs while fanning three. Dettling was the only SMU player with more than a single hit; she finished 2-4 with a double.
 
Up next, MSU Billings will play in the Championship game Saturday, May 2 at noon Pacific Time. The Yellowjackets await the winner of a game between Saint Martin's and the winner of a Western Washington/Western Oregon matchup taking place now.
 
 
(All Times in Pacific Time)
 
Friday, May 1:
2:00 p.m. - #3 MSU Billings 4, def. #1 Saint Martin's 3
4:30 p.m. - #2 Western Washington vs. #4 Western Oregon (loser-out). Live Stats
7:00 p.m. - #1 Saint Martin's vs. Winner WWU/WOU, 7 p.m. (loser-out). Live Stats
 
Saturday, May 2:
Noon - #3 MSU Billings vs. Winner Game 5, Live Stats
Noon. (If necessary a second game will follow at 2:30 p.m.). Live Stats