DENVER – A seven-run third inning was more than enough offense to back Montana State University Billings junior right-handed pitcher Cody Cooper, as the Yellowjackets completed a four-game series sweep of Metro State University with an 8-3 victory at the Regency Athletic Complex on Sunday afternoon.
 
Cooper scattered five hits over eight solid innings, striking out eight and walking just one while allowing three runs. Lee Busto took over and pitched the ninth to help the 'Jackets win their fourth straight game.
 
"Cody was solid from start-to-finish today," commented MSUB head coach Rob Bishop. "He commanded three pitches and pounded the zone all day. Our hitters did a great job of making our opportunity count in the seven-run inning. This was a great series for our team."
 
The Yellowjackets improved to 6-3 on the season and finished their nine-game nonconference schedule. The Roadrunners fell to 1-6 on the season with their fourth straight loss.
 
The majority of MSUB's offense came in a big third inning, as the 'Jackets touched up Metro State starter Jared Roley for seven runs. Caleb Stroup shut down MSUB for the next five innings however,

allowing no runs on three hits with three strikeouts and one walk.
 
The Yellowjackets plated a run in the first inning for the fourth game in a row, as Kyle Durbin drew a bases-loaded walk to make it 1-0.
 
MSUB threatened again in the second, but Trent Maloney turned a sharp ground ball off the bat of Zach Robinson into an inning-ending double play. The Roadrunners put runners on the corners with two outs in the bottom of the second, but Durbin snagged a hard line drive to end the inning as the 'Jackets held onto their 1-0 lead.
 
A leadoff walk drawn by Luke Reinschmidt was followed by a double into the right-field corner by Kevin Toon, as MSUB set up a big inning in the top of the third. The 'Jackets plated seven runs in the inning, as Adam Cox, Durbin, Casey Merritt, and Robinson all drove in runs with hits.
 
The Roadrunners scratched out a run in the fourth inning, as Hunter Donaldson got things started with a leadoff single. He came around to score on a sacrifice fly by Jake Eckman, but it was the only blemish in the game against Cooper through the first seven innings.
 
Pinch hitter Cale O'Donnell drove in a run with a double to right center, and Donaldson followed with a deep sacrifice fly to center field that made the score 8-3 in the bottom of the eighth.
 
Busto worked around a leadoff walk in the ninth inning, retiring the next three batters in order and closing out the win for the Yellowjackets.
 
Durbin finished the game 2-for-4 with a double and two RBIs, and Robinson was 2-for-5 with a pair of runs driven in as well. MSUB was aided by nine walks issued, eight of which came in the first four innings from Roley.
 
Cooper improved to 2-0 on the season, and has 18 strikeouts against just two walks in 15 innings pitched this season.
 
THE BUZZ: Cooper was picked as the St. Vincent Healthcare Player of the Game…this marks the third time in the last two seasons that MSUB has swept a four game series…all three occasions have come on the road, with a four-game sweep of Northwest Nazarene University last March before a four-game, conference-title clinching sweep at Saint Martin's University last May.
 
NEXT UP: The 'Jackets begin Great Northwest Athletic Conference play with a four game series at Central Washington University. MSUB will play doubleheaders on March 4 and March 5 in Ellensburg, Wash., with live stats available here.