BILLINGS, Mont. – Beginning its 2017 home schedule this weekend, the Montana State University Billings baseball team will be back in action with a four-game series at Dehler Park.

The Yellowjackets (5-12, 3-4 Great Northwest Athletic Conference) will host league opponent Concordia University in a pair of 9-inning/7-inning doubleheaders. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. both Saturday and Sunday, and live video with play-by-play commentary and live statistics will be available for all games online through MSUB's Stretch Internet portal here.
 
"We got tested out on the road, and the guys are excited to get back out on the field this weekend," said MSUB head coach Aaron Sutton. "We played well to finish up our road trip, and the guys turned the corner and played cleaner baseball. Concordia is going to be a good club, and they have been playing well the last few weeks. For us, we just need to come out and play our style of baseball going into the weekend."
 
MSUB started its league schedule last week with eight conference games on the road on the West Coast. The 'Jackets lost three in-a-row against Western Oregon, before the fourth and final game was halted in the middle of the sixth inning. Most recently, MSUB rebounded by taking 3 of 4 from Saint Martin's University last weekend in a series played in The Dalles, Ore.
 
This weekend marks the first of five home series this season for MSUB, and the team has eight straight home games over the next two weeks with Northwest Nazarene University coming to the Magic City the following weekend.
 
BAKER TAKES WEEKLY HONOR: Tossing one of the best games of his four-year career, senior right-hander Bryon Baker earned GNAC Pitcher of the Week honors for helping the Yellowjackets to a victory in the series finale against the Saints. Baker threw his second-career complete game, fanning a personal-best seven hitters and allowing just one run on three hits in the 5-1 win.
 
Baker has saved his best season for last, as he has 16 strikeouts against just two walks, and has given up only two runs in 14 innings pitched for a staff-best ERA of 1.29.
 
COOPER, WATSON COMBINE IN WIN: Seniors Cody Cooper and Tanner Watson combined to help MSUB take the opener against the Saints, the former putting together his longest outing of the year as he pitched

into the seventh inning with five strikeouts. Watson took the ball and allowed just one hit over the final 2 2/3 innings, while striking out a pair and earning the victory. 
Cooper had five strikeouts in the win for the 'Jackets, pushing his career total to 182 and moving him to No. 7 in GNAC history in the category.
 
GNAC Baseball Career Strikeout Leaders

Rank	Name	Strikeouts	School	Seasons
1	Nick Waechter	269	WOU	2004-06
2	Roger Evenson	246	NNU	2003-05
3	Brady Muller	232	MSUB	2012-15
4	Steven Schutte	231	NNU	2002-04
5	Mike Ward	223	WOU	2007-08, 2010-11
6	Mike Eisenhauer	185	WOU	2007-09
7	Cody Cooper	182	MSUB	2014-17
8	Kirk Lind	179	WOU	2009-12
9	Neil Elder	175	NNU	2000-03
10	Spenser Watkins	171	WOU	2013-14

 
WINSLOW BACK ON TRACK: Another stellar performance on the mound in the series came from sophomore Jared Winslow, who righted the ship with a season-high five innings pitched and a career-best seven strikeouts in Game 2. Winslow allowed just three hits and one walk, and lowered his ERA to 4.00 by keeping the Saints off the scoreboard.
 
MERRITT COMES CLUTCH: Capping the series with a win came thanks to a big swing of the bat from senior Casey Merritt, who cleared the bases with a three-run triple in Game 4 to back Baker's start. Merritt finished the game 3-for-3, and kept his average north of .300 at a team-best .327 through 17 games. Merritt has also driven in eight runs, the third-highest total on the team.
 
GAHAN COMES TO LIFE: In his first year with the 'Jackets, junior second baseman Michael Gahan got his bat going last week with a big 4-for-4 game against Western Oregon. His best performance of the year to date included a double and his first home run at MSUB, and he went 6-for-19 overall on the week while playing solid defense up the middle. "It just came down to making little adjustments," Gahan commented on his breakout week at the plate. "We have all been taking good approaches at practice, and applying feedback from our coaches into the games. That has really been helpful for us." 
 

HALL DOES IT ALL: Junior Kade Hall kept his hot start going last week, with two doubles, a triple, and his third home run of the year. He also drove in six runs, and leads the team with 14 RBIs while getting on base at a clip of .402. In addition to his offensive presence, Hall has been solid behind the plate making 42 plays last week without an error.
 
ROBINSON ON: Senior Zach Robinson leads the team with an on-base percentage of .437, thanks in large part to his GNAC-second best 11 walks drawn. Only Hall has more walks than Robinson, who is batting .322 with four doubles and four stolen bases in the number two slot for the 'Jackets.
 
SCHLEUSNER STARTS, SWINGS THE STICK: Playing the first four games of his collegiate career last week, freshman Andrew Schleusner went 3-for-11 and hit his first-ever home run. The Kalispell, Mont., native figures to see time both behind the plate and at third base this season.
 
GOLDEN CONTINUES STRONG PLAY AT SHORT: Freshman shortstop Caje Golden has continued to impress defensively, and has not committed an error since his first game of the year on Feb. 18. The Billings native has made 33 straight plays since then, and has shown some pop at the plate as he is tied for the team lead with three home runs.
 
'JACKET BATS HAVE POP: Entering the week, MSUB leads the GNAC with 14 home runs and is tied for the league lead with 70 RBIs. MSUB's 77 runs scored are just one away from the league leaders at 78, as the team is scoring 4.5 runs per contest.
 
Concordia University Cavaliers
Saturday, March 18 – 1 PM – 9-Inning/7-Inning Doubleheader
Sunday, March 19 – 1 PM – 9-Inning/7-Inning Doubleheader
2017 Record: 4-13, 2-5 GNAC
Head Coach: Rob Vance, 18th Season
2016 Record: 15-35, 13-27 GNAC (5th)
 
The 'Cavs are coming off three straight losses at home against Western Oregon last week, after splitting a four-game series against Northwest Nazarene to start GNAC play 2-5.
 
CU's early season included a 4-1 win over No. 24 UC San Diego, though the 'Cavs lost the four-game series 3-1. This weekend's games in Billings are part of an eight-game road trip for the Cavaliers.
 
Returner Cole Crosby is leading the team with a .308 batting average, and is tied for the team lead with nine RBIs. Junior transfer Gabe Padukiewicz has been effective right away, starting 14 games and leading the team with four doubles.
 
On the mound, Jake Brewer is the team's top starter, with 27 strikeouts and only 10 walks in 33 1/3 innings pitched. Brewer has a pair of complete games on the year, and holds a 5.67 ERA.
 
Scott Schepige and Tyler Charlton have each started three games, the latter ranking second on the team with 23 2/3 innings pitched.
 
Concordia has a team ERA of 7.36, and has a positive strikeout-to-walk ratio at 102-96. Offensively, the team is batting .222 and averaging 3.8 runs per game.
 
The Series: MSUB has a 6-5 advantage in the all-time series, and won the season series last year 5-3. The 'Jackets and 'Cavs split last year's matchup at Dehler Park, with each team winning twice.
 
Last Time Out: Adam Cox was 13-for-30 with three doubles, a triple, and two home runs while driving in 13 runs in the eight games against CU last year. Cooper had 14 strikeouts in 13 2/3 total innings in two starts, and Steen Fredrickson threw four scoreless innings in relief against Concordia.