ST. GEORGE, Utah – Friday marked the second day of competition at the Dixie State Easton Classic in St. George, Utah where the Montana State University Billings Yellowjackets (7-4) played their third and fourth games of the weekend. The day started with a high-scoring 12-9 loss to the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs (3-3) and concluded with a powerful offensive display in a 10-2 win over Metropolitan State University Denver (2-6).
In the opening game of the day the 'Jackets and Mountain Lions combined for a tournament-high 21 runs on 26 hits. The MSUB offense responded to nearly every score but UCCS rode two homers from Taylor Reidhead to hold on for the win.
MSUB's offense piled on early against the Roadrunners as a pair of first-inning home runs gave the 'Jackets a 4-0 advantage. A
Cameron Cassinelli grand slam made the MSUB lead 8-2 and two sixth inning runs sealed an early 10-2 victory in the sixth.
Heather Tracy extended a pair of streaks in the games as she had hits and scored runs in each of the games on Friday. Tracy has now tallied a hit in all 11 games this season and is on a 16-game hitting streak dating back to last season. The right fielder has scored a run in eight consecutive games now. She totaled six hits on the day and moved into second-place on the Yellowjackets all-time hit list passing Terina Stacks. With 212 career knocks, Tracy just need four more hits to pass
Bella Rovens and become MSUB's all-time hits leader. Her four runs also moves her into second all-time in runs scored in MSUB Softball history with 119, passing Stephanie Gosselin (118).
MSUB freshman
Brittanee Fisher hit three-run home runs in both games on Friday. The Billings native finished the day 3-for-6 at the plate with four runs scored and six RBI. Fisher is now tied with Tracy for the team lead with three home runs this season.
Cassinelli hit her second career grand slam in the contest against Metropolitan State University Denver. The four-run shot came in the second inning and put the senior just four RBI away from claiming the MSUB RBI crown. Her previous grand slam came last February in a 19-12 loss to Sonoma State at the Desert Stinger. Cassinelli has two home runs and 12 RBI so far this season.
After picking up a loss in four innings to start the day,
Maddy Lincoln (4-2, 2.08 ERA) finished the day on a positive note with the six inning win over the Roadrunners. The steady sophomore has 21 strikeouts in 37.0 innings of work allowing just 25 hits this season.
The Yellowjackets hit three home runs in each of the games on Friday for a total of six. The last time the MSUB offense struck six round-trippers during a doubleheader was last season against Western Oregon. On that day, the 'Jackets started with a two homers in a 5-2 win before belting four in a 19-18 loss in the eighth. MSUB has a four home run game this season from their 8-5 win over Colorado Christina in which Tracy went deep three times.
On Saturday, the Yellowjackets will face host No. 9 Dixie State at 10 a.m. Mountain time. The Trailblazers are 4-0 this season after defeating Metro State and Western Washington yesterday. They have yet to win a game by fewer than seven runs this season and average over 12 runs per game this season.
The game will be streamed via the
MSUB Stretch Internet Portal with live stats available through
Dixie State Athletics.
Game 1 – University of Colorado, Colorado Springs 12, MSU Billings 9
The Yellowjackets were on the wrong end of an offensive explosion by a University of Colorado, Colorado Springs team that managed only two runs in two games on Thursday.
Megan Dettling recorded the first hit of the game in the bottom of the first inning after
Maddy Lincoln (3-2, 2.03 ERA) retired the top of the frame in order. Dettling advanced to second on a wild pitch and
Brittanee Fisher
drew a walk to put two runners on with two outs. However the Mountain Lions' Cami Duffy (3-1, 7.78 ERA) induced an inning-ending pop out to avoid any trouble.
A leadoff walk and a sacrifice bunt put Taylor Reidhead into scoring position for UCCS and Taylor White delivered a two out RBI on a single up the middle to open the scoring. After another walk, Lincoln retired the final batter of the inning with a ground out.
The Colorado Springs offense continued to produce in the third inning with a pair of singles followed by a Reidhead three-run home run to break the game open 4-0.
Haley Couch entered the game for the 'Jackets and recorded three consecutive outs to end the inning without further damage.
Amanda Barham recorded her first of two hits in the game to lead off the bottom of the third before getting out on a fielder's choice off of a
Heather Tracy grounder. Tracy stole both second and third before Dettling delivered a two-run blast to cut the lead to 4-2.
A leadoff single, two errors and two wild pitches opened the door for four UCCS runs in the top of the fourth. The Mountain Lions cashed in on two RBI-singles, an RBI-double and a wild pitch to plate the quartette of runners. Couch retired the final two batters of the inning on a strikeout and a fly out to take MSUB to the bottom of the inning trailing 8-2.
The MSU Billings offense responded with three runs of their own in the fourth after
Myrissa Prince started the inning with a leadoff single. Prince advanced to second after
Cameron Cassinelli was hit by a pitch and moved to third on a fielder's choice. The senior second baseman then scored on a wild pitch from the UCCS pitcher while Barham was at the plate. Barham then singled, followed by an RBI-single for Tracy that scored
Allie Hughes. Dettling drove in the final run of the inning with a single to left field that scored Barham and made the score 8-5 in favor of UCCS.
Abbey Bryan entered the circle for the Yellowjackets to start the fifth inning and the Mountain Lion offense continued to attack. Following a quick pop out, Colorado Springs got things going with a single followed by a walk to put runners on first and second. An RBI-single plated the first Mountain Lion run of the inning and a throwing error brought in a second. Reidhead delivered her second home run of the ballgame to stretch the lead to 12-5 as the Mountain Lions would need nearly all of their runs to earn the win.
MSUB scored in each of the final two innings of the game highlighted by a three-run homer from Fisher. With her second collegiate home run, Fished drove in Barham and Tracy and cut the lead to 12-8. In the seventh, it was another freshman blast that inched the 'Jackets closer as Hughes hit her first round-tripper of her MSUB career. The Yellowjackets could not complete the comeback as UCCS held on for the 12-9 win.
Nine batters combined for 14 hits for the Yellowjackets with Dettling and Fisher each leading the team with three RBI a piece in the game. Barham, Tracy and Hughes all scored two runs each in the game as six different MSUB base runners crossed the plate.
Lincoln finished her outing with four earned runs over four innings on five hits and two walks. Couch collected two strikeouts in two innings while allowing three earned. Bryan went one inning with four earned runs.
Game 2 – MSU Billings 10, Metropolitan State University Denver 2 (6 Innings)
The powerful MSUB lineup got after Roadrunner pitching early in the second game of the day led by a Hughes double to put her and Barham in scoring position when Fisher stepped to the plate in the top of the first. Fisher quickly launched her second three-run home run of the day to give the 'Jackets a 3-0 lead.
Shayla Felix would continue power display with her second home run of the season making it 4-0 before Metro State could even pick up their bats.
Maddy Lincoln (4-2, 2.08 ERA) started the second game of the day as well for the 'Jackets and found some early trouble. After a strikeout, three consecutive walks put some pressure on the MSUB sophomore. A Roadrunner single plated two runs to bring the score to 4-2 before Lincoln retired the side. The left-hander would only allow one base runner in the following four innings.
After two quick outs to lead off the top of the second, the Yellowjacket offense rallied. Tracy and Hughes each singled in front of Fisher who would load the bases with the walk. With three runners on Cassinelli stepped to the dish and belted a grand slam to left field to plate four two-out runs and cushion the MSUB lead 8-2.
The teams scattered five combined hits while scoring no runs the following three inning as Lincoln and her counterpart, Destinee Lopez worked through the heart of the ballgame. Metro State took advantage of an MSUB error in the bottom of the fifth and loaded the bases but a routine grounder to Prince ended the inning.
In the sixth the 'Jackets again made the most of their opportunities with two outs. Tracy was on second after a single and a steal when a Fisher base hit sent her to third. Tracy advanced home on a fielding error putting mSUB up 9-2. Cassinelli followed with her third hit of the game and Felix knocked a single of her own that resulted in another Roadrunner error allowing Fisher. The two runs gave the 'Jackets a 10-2 lead and Lincoln would finish the game in the sixth.
Lincoln earned her second complete game of the season with the six inning performance. She struck out five batters and allowed just two hits in the ballgame. The sophomore now has three appearances this season of five or more innings while allowing two or fewer earned runs.
