BILLINGS, Mont. - The MSUB softball team opened their 2016 home slate last weekend and this Friday the Yellowjackets return to hosting duties with a four-game series against Great Northwest Athletic Conference opponent Western Washington. MSU Billings opens the series on Friday, Mar. 25, at 1:00 p.m.

Montana State University Billings (8-16, 1-7 GNAC) opened the 2016 home schedule last weekend with a four-game series against Saint Martin's. The Yellowjackets dropped both opening games on Saturday, the first by two runs, 10-8. On Sunday, MSUB came back and fell in another close game, 7-6, but rocketed out ahead in the series finale and won the last game 14-6 on a walk-off home run from Myrissa Prince.

The Yellowjackets found their hitting groove across the four game finishing with a team average of .397. MSUB outhit SMU 48-40 and logged 15 extra-base hits, including nine home runs - half of their season total up-to-date.

This week, the 'Jackets have another four-game series against the preseason favorite Western Washington.

PRINCE OF THE PLATE: Prince came up clutch for the Yellowjackets last weekend. The second baseman finished 7-for-14 at the plate and hit for the cycle with four singles, a double, a triple, and two home runs. The first home run, and first of the season for the sophomore, was a grand slam that drove MSUB out ahead of Saint Martin's 11-1 in the fourth game of series. In the sixth inning, up to bat first for the Yellowjackets, Prince hit her second home run of the game for the walk-off win 14-6. Prince logged 5 runs, 8 RBI's, and 9 assists while completing a 1.143 slugging percentage. For her performances, Prince was awarded her first career GNAC Player of the Week honor. The native of Sparks, Nev., is now batting .348 and is second on the team in hits (23) and RBI's (18).

TRACY TAKES OVER: Sophomore Heather Tracy shot to the top of the team in batting average over the four-game series against SMU. The outfielder finished 9-for-14, including 4 runs, 3 RBI's, hitting a double and two home runs. The two home runs were the first of the season for the native of Boise, Idaho. Tracy came into the weekend batting .325 and hitting .643 over the weekend is now leading the team with a .412 batting average that ranks her seventh in the GNAC. She is holding down a .647 slugging percentage which has her eighth in the conference.

TRIPLE DUTY: Cameron Cassinelli played first base, pitched, and was in the batting lineup for MSUB last weekend. The sophomore hit 6-for-11 during the series against the Saints with 4 runs, 5 RBI's, drawing 3 walks, and crushing two home runs. At the plate Cassinelli has settled into her role in the clean-up spot and has been effective at moving runners. The utility player leads the team in on-base percentage (.494), runs scored (15), total bases (48), walks (12), home runs (7), is second in hits (23), and second in batting average (.377). Her seven home runs ranks her first in the GNAC and she is top-10 in five additional categories. In the circle against the Saints, Cassinelli tossed 5 and 1/3 innings. In the first game she didn't allow an earned run while recording a strikeout.

HOLDING THE LINE: Junior transfer Ryland Estrada continued her solid numbers for the Yellowjackets. The third baseman finished 5-for-11 at the plate for MSUB against the Saints. She struck her first career home run for MSU Billings in the opening game of the series and ended the two days with 4 runs, 5 RBI's, two doubles, and the home run. Estrada is now batting a team third-best .370 with a .565 slugging percentage. Her on-base percentage is just behind Cassinelli at .463 and she is tied for the most triples in the league with two.

AT THE FENCE: Senior Haley Rowe hit a ball that just cleared the fence, rolling into the center fielder's glove, but coming out and hitting the ground again to tie the third game against Saint Martin's at 3-all. The catcher for MSUB was 6-for-12 against the Saints and had two doubles to go along with her home run. Rowe has been a calm presence behind the plate for the 'Jackets this season and has become a vocal leader for her team.

TIFFANY TAKES COMMAND: Going in as a pinch hitter in the seventh inning of the last game on Saturday, junior Nicole Tiffany came through with a single into center field. Following up on her chance, Tiffany filled the designated player role for MSUB in both games on Sunday and finished the series 4-for-8 at the plate with a double. The native of Nine Miles Falls, Wash., is 9-for-23 in six games for the Yellowjackets this season for a .391 batting average.

OUT IN FRONT: Senior Cori Gammon was the lead-off batter for the 'Jackets in all four games. Gammon leads the team in hits with 25 and is second in runs scored with 14. She is also playing a leading short game with a team-best six sacrifice bunts.

ROARK RISING: Senior Amanda Roark made appearances in three games last week. She earned her second win of the season in the last game of the series, holding the Saints to four earned runs on six hits. Roark is now 1-2 against conference opponents.

DIGGING DEEP: Megan Dettling saw the batter's box in three games and the circle in two last weekend. The sophomore had five strikeouts in 9 and 1/3 innings of work. At the plate, Dettling finished with a pair of hits and two runs. The right-handed pitcher is second in the GNAC in strikeouts with 51 (7.10 pg). She also leads the league in opposing batting average, holding opponents to .200 at the plate.

Western Washington University Vikings
Friday, March 25 - 1 PM - DOUBLEHEADER
Saturday, March 26 - 12 PM - DOUBLEHEADER
Avitus Group Stadium, Billings, MT
2016 Record: 12-12, 7-7 GNAC
Head Coach: Amy Suiter, 6^th season
2015 GNAC Finish: 30-18, 17-7 GNAC, (2^nd)

The Vikings were on a four-game slide until a game on Monday against Western Oregon where the Vikings came out on top 5-2. Picked first in the GNAC preseason coaches' poll, WWU is carrying a 12-12 overall record and is 7-7 in league play. The Vikings are currently fourth in the conference standings.

In the game against the Wolves, shortstop Makinlee Sellvold finished 3-for-3. Emily Benson was 2-for-4. Alexie Levin is batting .394 with 26 hits. Lynsey Amundson is batting .348. Leading the team in hits is Benson with 28. The first baseman is also tied with MSUB's Cassinelli in home runs with seven. As a team, the Vikings are batting .286.

In the circle, Sellvold and Shearyna Labasan are carrying the workload. Sellvold is 4-6 with a 3.23 ERA. In 73 and 2/3 innings of work, the sophomore has 34 earned runs, 23 walks, and 39 strikeouts. Labasan has completed 73 and 1/3 innings of work and has a logged an ERA of 3.72. The freshman from Mililani, Hawaii, is 8-4 overall with 39 earned runs, 35 walks, and 41 strikeouts.

The Series: (39-24, Home 19-8) MSU Billings played Western Washington six times last season, four times in Bellingham and twice at the GNAC tournament in Yakima, Wash. During the regular season the teams split. At the conference tournament, MSUB defeated WWU 6-1 in the first round and then 9-5 in the championship game for the tournament title and the GNAC's automatic bid into the NCAA tournament.

Last Time Out: In the first round of the GNAC tournament, MSUB defeated WWU 6-1 to advance to the semifinal game. Cassinelli struck a 3-RBI home run in the fifth inning that put MSUB up 6-0. In the title game, Cassinelli had 2 more RBI's. Kelsey Devlin was 2-for-4 with both players recording a double.