BILLINGS, Mont. – After last week's monster conference road-trip, the Yellowjacket softball team is preparing to host its last two weeks of competition at home. MSUB is welcoming Great Northwest Athletic Conference opponent Concordia (Ore.) for a four-game series beginning on Saturday, Apr. 16.
 
Montana State University Billings (10-32, 2-18 GNAC) is on a 10-game slump, including dropping eight straight on the road last week at Central Washington and Western Oregon. The Yellowjackets will look to the comfort of being back in Billings and home-field advantage as they get set for the last two weeks of conference competition this season.
 

MSUB has been struggling to finish games, often going out to a lead or retaking the lead only to fall short in the final two innings. This week MSU Billings will work to put together a complete game as the 'Jackets go up against the hottest team in the conference.
 
Sophomore Heather Tracy has continued her winning ways at the plate. The right fielder added nine hits to her season last week and is second in the GNAC with a .430 batting average. She is third in slugging percentage at .664 and fifth in on-base percentage at .665 and stolen bases at .3 per game.
 
Junior Bella Rovens has moved up on the team and is now second at the plate batting .338. The last two weeks the center fielder has been a steady force on offense and is on an eight-game hit steak. She was 11-23 for a .478 average during last week's games at Central Washington and Western Oregon. Rovens leads the team in runs scored with 29 and is second in hits with 45.
 
Myrissa Prince (.330), Cameron Cassinelli (.324) and Kelsey Devlin (.320) are all batting north of .300 for the Yellowjackets. Prince is second on the team in RBI with 27 and third in hits with 37. Cassinelli is third in the GNAC in home runs with 10 on the season. She is tied for sixth in the league in RBI with 34 and is sixth in slugging percentage at .657. With one home run in each series last week, Devlin has now logged nine home runs this season. The junior is eighth in the GNAC in slugging percentage at .649 and third on the team in RBI with 21.
 
Three of MSUB's pitching staff saw time in the circle last week. Senior Amanda Roark leads the team in innings pitched with 106 and 1/3 innings. The right-handed hurler has 45 strikeouts this season. Junior Taylor Tokach has accumulated 56 and 2/3 innings while Cassinelli saw time in the series at Western Oregon and has now logged 17 and 2/3 innings for the Yellowjackets.
 
Concordia (Ore.) University Cavaliers
Saturday, April 16 – 12 PM Doubleheader
Sunday, April 17 – 12 PM Doubleheader
Avitus Group Stadium
2016 Record: 26-17, 11-7 GNAC
Head Coach: Carrie Kosderka-Farrell
2015 GNAC Finish: new member to GNAC
 
Concordia (Ore.) is on a three game win-streak starting with a six inning win (8-0) over Western Washington and a sweep over first-place in the GNAC standings Saint Martin's by scores of 7-3 and 9-3.
 
The Cavaliers are second in the league at the plate as a team batting .326 collectively. Meghan Luebbert leads the GNAC in batting average at .433 and holds a .740 slugging percentage. The junior has nine home runs and 15 doubles in her 65 hits at the plate. She leads the GNAC in runs scored (1.08) as the only athlete in the league averaging over one per game.
 
Taylor Copher is carrying a .408 average for the Cavs with 58 hits and is tied with Lueggert at 15 doubles on the season. Concordia (Ore.) has seven players batting .300 or better on the team. The Cavaliers lead the league in on-base percentage at .385 and slugging percentage at .476.
 
Concordia (Ore.) has two pitchers in the top-10 in the GNAC. Jessica Lambourn (12-5) holds a 3.10 ERA and has the lowest amount of walks in the league per game at .46. Mattie Boucher (8-7) has a 3.45 ERA and is sixth in the GNAC in innings pitched at 111 and 2/3.
 
On defense, the Cavaliers are second in the GNAC in team fielding percentage at .963. They also lead the league in double plays turned (19) and stolen bases at 92.34 percent (73-79).
 
On Sunday, MSUB is hosting Little League Day where any player wearing their little league jersey will be admitted to the games at the reduced admission of $1.00. The doubleheaders on both Saturday and Sunday will have live video and stats available at the MSUB Stretch Internet Portal.