TURLOCK, Calif. – With rain delaying play throughout Saturday's competition, the Montana State University Billings Yellowjackets (11-16, 2-6 Great Northwest Athletic Conference) only completed one of two scheduled games at the Tournament of Champions in Turlock, Calif. Playing the No. 3 California State University, Chico Wildcats (29-3, 21-3 CCAA), MSUB was limited to just one run in a 9-1 six-inning loss to the Wildcats.
 
Chico's Haley Gilham (14-2, 1.48 ERA) pitched all six innings for the Wildcats allowing just three hits to the Yellowjacket order. She did not allow a walk in the game and struck out six batters on the way to the victory.
 
Just two batters into the bottom of the first inning, the Wildcats took a 1-0 lead off of an MSUB throwing error. Chico added another run with an RBI-single before the inning was over.
 
Maddy Lincoln (6-9, 4.17 ERA) cruised through the bottom of the second inning but a triple to lead off the third had the Wildcat offense back on the attack. The sophomore limited the damage to just one run making it 3-0 heading to the fourth.
 
Amanda Barham was the first Yellowjacket to collect a hit with a single in the top of the third inning. Heather Tracy led off the fourth inning with a single and stole second base to give the 'Jackets their first and only scoring opportunity of the night. Kelsee Bushell delivered an RBI-single to cut the Wildcat lead to 3-1.
 
Lincoln worked around a leadoff single to pitch a scoreless fourth but it would be the final inning in which Chico didn't post a run. In the fifth, a walk followed by two singles and a double netted the Wildcats a commanding 6-1 lead. With freshman Haley Couch taking the circle for MSUB in the sixth, Chico added another three-run inning to claim the 9-1 win via eight-run rule in the sixth.
 
The Yellowjackets will play their final two games of the Tournament of Champions tomorrow as they face Domincan University of California (11-21, 3-11 PacWest) at 10 a.m. Pacific time and Cal State, Monterey Bay (15-15, 9-10 CCAA) at 2 p.m. Schedule and statistics can be found via the Tournament of Champions page on the Stanislaus State website.