BURNABY, B.C. – With mounds of snow resting just beyond the outfield fences at Beedie Field, the Montana State University Billings Yellowjackets (9-9, 1-1 GNAC) opened Great Northwest Athletic Conference play against the Simon Fraser Clan (4-1, 1-1 GNAC) on Saturday in Burnaby, B.C.
 
The 'Jackets opened up the day with a program-record tying five home runs in the 10-0 win in Game 1. Megan Dettling led the 'Jackets with two solo home runs in the game while Kelsee Bushell drove in all four of her team-leading RBIs with a grand slam for MSUB fifth homer of the contest. Myrissa Prince and Heather Tracy also went deep in the game. Tracy now leads the 'Jackets with five home runs this season.
 
Simon Fraser started Game 2 hot and ultimately rode four early runs to a 7-5 victory over the 'Jackets. The 'Jackets out-hit the Clan 10-8 but SFU capitalized on four doubles to earn the win.
 
Cameron Cassinelli became MSUB's all-time RBI leader in Game 1 when she drew a first inning walk with the basses loaded to open the scoring. She added to her RBI total in Game 2 when she hit the 33 home run of her career. The one-run dinger makes Cassinelli just two shy of tying Kelly Parsons (35) as the all-time leader for home runs.
 
Tracy had hits in each game extending her hitting streak to 23 games dating back to last season. The streak is the longest in MSUB history, breaking Tracy's previous mark of 21 games from last season. She was 4-for-4 in Game 1, her first four-hit game of the season and her 12th multi-hit game of 2018. Tracy had three four-hit games last season and one as a sophomore.  
 
Game 1 - MSU Billings 10, Simon Fraser University 0 (6 Innings)
 
Following a two hour delay and spending the week wondering if they would get the chance to play in snow covered Burnaby, B.C., the MSU Billings squad showed little signs of rust in their first conference game of the season. Amanda Barham led off the game by reaching first with a hit-by-pitch before a Tracy single put runners on first and second. Brittanee Fisher delivered a single to load the bases with one out for the 'Jackets and Cassinelli coming to the plate. With one grand slam already this season, Simon Fraser gave the MSUB slugger little to hit as Cassinelli waked on five pitches giving MSUB the 1-0 lead. The RBI was the 137th of Cassinelli's career, setting the MSUB all-time record.
 
Taking a 1-0 lead into the fourth inning, the MSUB bats came alive and hit a season-high five home runs over the final three innings. Prince started the long-ball action with a solo shot in the fourth. Dettling followed with a one-run blast in the fifth giving way to an unbelievable sixth inning.
 
Tracy was the first of three Yellowjacket batters to homer in the sixth when she drove home Shayla Felix with her team-leading fifth home run of the season. Following a pitching change, Dettling hit her second solo home run of the game to give the 'Jackets a 6-0 advantage. Two singles and a hit-by-pitch loaded the bases for Bushell's grand slam to put an exclamation point on the 'Jackets' GNAC opener.
 
The 'Jackets last hit three home runs in an inning last season in a 19-18 loss to Western Oregon. Dettling hit two home runs in the seventh inning of that game while Emma Tucker provided the third round-tripper. The five home runs ties the MSUB record for most home runs in a game. The Yellowjackets last hit five homers in 2005 against Western New Mexico.
 
MSUB finished the game with a season high 15 hits and a .484 team batting average while Lincoln held the Clan to three hits. Lincoln collected a season best eight strikeouts in the game, the second highest total of her career behind a 10 strikeout performance last season against Minot State. It is the 'Jackets' fourth shutout of the season after MSUB failed to hold a single opponent scoreless in 49 games last season.
 
Alia Stachoski (2-1) received her first loss of the season for Simon Fraser. Taylor Gillis, Katherine Murnaghan and Kate Fergusson each had a single for the Clan in the loss.  
 
 Game 2 - Simon Fraser University 7, MSU Billings 5
 
Under the lights for Game 2, the Clan jumped out to a quick lead against MSUB starter Megan Dettling (2-3, 4.99 ERA). After a hitless top of the first inning, Simon Fraser used two doubles and a walk to push across a quick two runs. Taylor Lundrigan was the first to double for SFU and an Alex Ogg double scored the first two runs of the game.
 
The Clan offense plated two more in the second with a pair of runs scoring on a sacrifice hit from Victoria Saunders putting SFU up 4-0.
 
In the third and fourth innings, MSUB answered. Bushell continued her hot hitting with a double and later scored on a sacrifice from Barham to score the first 'Jacket run in the third. Cassinelli started the fourth with a leadoff home run making it 4-2. Prince and Madison Kelly scored on a single from Tracy that knotted the game 4-4 in the top of the fourth inning.
 
In the bottom of the fifth, Simon Fraser was able to reestablish their lead thanks to a three run inning. It was another SFU double that plated runs for the Clan to start the rally followed by a wild pitch and a single to make it a 7-4 Simon lead.
 
Tracy drove in pinch runner Emma Tucker in the top of the sixth but it would be the last run for the 'Jackets on the day. Fisher and Cassinelli led off the seventh with a pair of singles before Simon closed the door with three consecutive outs.
 
Jessica Tate (1-0) picked up the win for Simon Fraser allowing four earned runs on four hits.
 
The Yellowjackets and Clan will play two more games tomorrow starting at 12 p.m. Pacific time in Burnaby, B.C. Both games can be followed with live stats via the MSUB Stretch Internet Portal.