MONMOUTH, Ore. – MSU Billings dropped a pair of Great Northwest Athletic Conference games at Western Oregon by scores of 12-1 (5 innings) and 7-3 on Tuesday.
Montana State University Billings (10-31, 2-18 GNAC) was finishing up an eight game, five day conference road trip with four games at Central Washington last Friday and Saturday, and ending with four games at Western Oregon on Monday and Tuesday.
The GNAC has been scrambling to work in conference games postponed from the heavy spring rainfall on the west coast. The games at Western Oregon (22-19, 12-8 GNAC) were originally scheduled at the beginning of March, but needed to be made-up this month before the conference tournament takes place the last week in April.
The Yellowjackets tied the first game at the top of the third inning on a RBI single from
Bella Rovens, but two big innings of six and five runs from the Wolves ended the first game in shortened innings. MSUB rebounded well and after striking just three hits in the first game, recorded seven hits and three runs in the second game.
Game 1: MSUB 1, WOU 12 (5 innings) | Game 2: MSUB 3, WOU 7
Struggling at the plate, MSUB finished with a trio of hits in the opening game of the doubleheader. The 'Jackets scored one run at the top of the third inning. Second baseman
Myrissa Prince doubled to right field on the opening pitch and advanced to third base on a passed ball. Rovens followed that up with a RBI single into left field that plated Prince.
In the second game, the 'Jackets had seven hits. Western Oregon plated three runs in the opening two innings, but MSUB earned one back with a run at the top of the third inning.
Shortstop
Jordyn Roark doubled into left field and advanced to third base on a wild pitch. Sophomore
Heather Tracy drew a walk and stole second base to put two runners in scoring position. Fighting through eight pitches, senior
Cori Gammon recorded a RBI as Roark crossed the plate on a groundout to the infield.
The 'Jackets held WOU scoreless in the bottom of the inning. With two runners on base, a heads-up play from
Cameron Cassinelli in the circle caught the runner at third base. A pop-up in the infield ended the inning without any additional runs.
The Wolves did score four runs in the fourth inning to move out to a 7-1 lead, but the 'Jackets scored two runs in the top of the fifth inning for the final runs of the game.
Jordyn Roark led-off the inning again, this time with a single. Tracy moved Roark to second on an infield single. Gammon loaded the bases with the third single of the inning. Rovens plated two runs on a long single to center field bringing in both Tracy and Roark.
In the second game, Roark finished 2-for-3 at the plate with two runs scored. Tracy was 2-for-2 with a run scored and a walk. Gammon also had two hits, batting 2-for-3 and added a RBI. Rovens finished with a team-best 2 RBI.
Cassinelli (0-2) recorded the opening game loss in 2 and 1/3 innings of work, scattering three hits and allowing six earned runs.
In the second game,
Taylor Tokach (2-7) recorded the loss in two innings of work, scattering five hits with two earned runs. Cassinelli came in for 1 and 2/3 innings, and
Amanda Roark finished the game with 2 and 1/3 innings, allowing one hit and no earned runs.
"We came out a little flat today and just didn't make enough adjustments at the plate," MSUB head coach Rebekah Gasner said. "We have spent a lot of time on the road lately and so we are looking forward to getting back to Billings and playing at home. This week we will look to fine-tune our swings and work on some fundamentals in order to get ready for Concordia."
UP NEXT: MSU Billings returns home this week for the eight remaining game of the season. The Yellowjackets are welcoming Concordia (Ore.) on Apr. 16-17, and Northwest Nazarene Apr. 22-23, to Avitus Group Stadium.
