BILLINGS, Mont. – After a tough series at Simon Fraser to open their conference season, the MSUB softball team is looking forward to two doubleheaders against nonconference opponents to fine-tune the details before returning to Great Northwest Athletic Conference action this weekend.
As part of their annual spring break trip, the Yellowjackets have scheduled games in-between conference foes. This year, MSUB will play the University of British Columbia and Seattle University.
MSU Billings (5-12) is working against a five-game skid that dates back to Feb. 14. After two and a half weeks away from competition, the Yellowjackets travelled to Simon Fraser to begin their 2016 GNAC campaign. MSUB lost all four games in the series last weekend.
The Yellowjackets are still working on their lineups this season. With an almost entirely new infield, MSUB has just four players on the roster that have started and played in all 17 games thus far.
Sophomore
Cameron Cassinelli is heading-up the offensive efforts for the Yellowjackets batting .366. The first baseman has 15 hits, including four home runs with 13 RBI's. Senior
Cori Gammon is batting .321 with a team-leading 17 hits. Lead-off hitter and center fielder
Bella Rovens has 15 hits and 10 runs. Rovens has also struck a team-leading five doubles.
In the circle for the Yellowjackets,
Taylor Tokach is carrying a 4.44 ERA. In 17 and 1/3 innings of work, the junior has allowed a team-low 11 earned runs. Sophomore
Megan Dettling (4-4) has tossed a team-leading 51 innings and has 40 strikeouts this season.
Amanda Roark has pitched 32 innings for the Yellowjackets and has 15 strikeouts this year.
University of British Columbia ThunderbirdsTuesday, March 7 – 6 PM MTN – DOUBLEHEADER Live Stats: HERENorth Delta Park, Delta, B.C.2016 Record: 0-5Head Coach: Gord Collings, 2nd season2015 Record: 14-27 in NAIA, Cascade Conference The University of British Columbia has opened the season with a 0-5 record. The Thunderbirds began their 2016 campaign at the GNAC's Concordia (Ore.) Northwest Cup, dropping all five games in the tournament. UBC played Concordia twice as well as Saint Martin's.
The Thunderbirds have four players batting above .400. Hillary Strelau is batting .533 with eight hits and a double. Lindsey Oglivie is batting .500 with eight hits and two doubles. UBC is .291 as a team at the plate.
Zoe Gillis has a team-leading 5.25 ERA and has made appearances in all five games this season.
The Series: MSUB is 1-0 against UBC. The Yellowjackets played the Thunderbirds last season at a tournament in Idaho, where MSU Billing earned a 5-4 victory.
Seattle University RedhawksWednesday, March 9 – 5 PM MTN – DOUBLEHEADER Live Stats: HERELogan Field at SU Park2016 Record: 7-12Head Coach: Geoff Hirai, 1st season2015 Record: 16-36 Seattle University has kicked off 2016 with a record of 7-12. The Redhawks have yet to play a conference game. Rose Saenz is batting .400 for Seattle U with 14 hits and a home run. Paige Bouska leads the team with 24 hits on a .353 batting average.
The team is batting .265 overall. Seattle U is coming off a win against Boise State of 5-4.
Andie Larkins (7-5) has tossed 71 innings this season and holds a 2.46 ERA. She has made appearances in 13 games with eight complete games this season under her belt.
The Series: MSUB is 3-13 all-time against Seattle U. The Yellowjackets played the Redhawks six times in 2008, taking the last game of the series 10-2.
