ST. GEORGE, Utah – The Montana State University Billings softball team finished 1-1 on the first day of the Courtyard Classic Tournament hosted on the campus of Dixie State University Thursday afternoon. MSUB nearly came back to beat Hawai'i Hilo but fell 7-6 in game one. The 'Jackets completed their comeback effort in game two with an 8-7 extra inning victory over Fort Lewis College at Canyons Softball Complex.
 
"The team showed a lot of fight today," commented MSUB head coach Jessica Rayman. "I was proud of the way they never gave up and continued to compete, even when we fell behind. It was fun to see different players step up in various situations. Sidney Pollard in particular did a great job for us and Haley Couch was able to keep the ball down in game two and really work the corners. That never give up attitude was something we carried all day."
 
Game 1 – MSU Billings 6, Hawai'i Hilo 7
 
Allie Hughes and Brittanee Fisher homered but a late comeback bid fell short as Montana State University Billings lost to University of Hawai'i at Hilo 7-6 Thursday afternoon in the first game of the Courtyard Classic Tournament hosted by Dixie State University. The Yellowjackets were unable to overcome a five-run fifth inning by the Vulcans, despite getting the tying run on first base in the bottom the seventh inning after Sydney Pollard singled in a pair of runs to bring MSUB within a run of sending the game to extra innings.
 
Rayla Jacobs-Kea went 3-for-4 for UHH with a home run, a double, and three runs batted in. Isabelle Majia (1-0) picked up the win for the Vulcans, pitching the opening 6.0 innings and allowing six earned runs on six hits, walked three and struck out nine. Maddy Lincoln (2-1) threw a complete game for MSUB but took the loss with seven runs (five earned), 10 hits, zero walks, and seven strikeouts on the day.
 
Hawai'i at Hilo put two runs on the board in the top of the second inning. After a pair of singles, Kimberly Olivas doubled to left field to make it 2-0. Olivas advanced to third but was stranded when Jacobs-Kea flied out to centerfield. The Yellowjackets countered when Allie Hughes hit her third home run of the season over the centerfield fence in the bottom of the second. MSUB then tied the game in the fourth when Brittanee Fisher connected for a centerfield home run, making it 2-2.
 
The Vulcans broke out for five runs in the fifth but had just three hits with the Yellowjackets having committed three errors. Jacobs-Kea had a three run home run to centerfield after Olivas singled and Kiarra Lincoln reached on a fielders choice.
 
Two walks and a hit by pitch helped MSU Billings load the bases in the sixth. Hailee Gregerson singled in two runs with a single to centerfield. Fisher and Pollard both came home on the play.
 
Trailing by three in the seventh, Georgiabelle Benning singled to centerfield to lead off and Cailee Morgan walked to move Benning to second. Rylan Austin followed with a fly ball to right field, advancing both runners. Pollard singled through the left side for a pair of RBI's, bringing Fisher up to bat with the tying run on first and one out. Fisher popped it up to shortstop and Payton Reynolds struck out swinging to end the game.
 
Freshman Rylan Austin had a strong game for the Yellowjackets. Austin went 2-for-4 at the plate and made an outstanding play at shortstop in the third inning. On the play, Austin was forced to go deep in the hole to her right, backhand a groundball, and throw across her body to first base to record the out by inches. Austin was the only 'Jacket with multiple hits in the game while Pollard and Gregerson posted two runs batted in apiece.
 
Game 2 – MSU Billings 8, Fort Lewis College 7 (8 innings)
 
The Yellowjackets trailed by five but came from behind to defeat Fort Lewis College 8-7 in eight innings in the first ever meeting between the two teams Thursday night in the Courtyard Classic. Pollard singled in Morgan from third base and Hughes doubled down the right field line to give MSUB an 8-6 advantage in the top of the eighth. Haley Couch pitched six innings of relief for MSUB and held the Skyhawks to one unearned run in the eighth to seal the win.
 
MSUB scored in the first inning after Hughes was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded. Then a two run home run to right center field by Angelique Elemen put Fort Lewis on top 2-1 in their half of the first. The Skyhawks mounted a four-run third inning, helped by a leadoff walk followed by a double to right center by Taylor Hollestelle.
 
The bats for both teams fell silent until the fifth inning, when MSUB put four runs across on two hits. FLC also committed two fielding errors in the inning. The 'Jackets scored runs on a wild pitch, a Gregerson single, and a double down the right field line by Shayla Felix.
 
Trailing by one, the Yellowjackets tied the game in the sixth. Austin singled through the left side and advanced to second on an error charged to FLC on a failed pickoff attempt. Fisher hit a single up the middle to easily score Austin from second.
 
The Yellowjackets went down in order in the seventh but scored two in the eighth. Austin bunted Morgan over to third base and Pollard singled to right center to put MSUB ahead 7-6. Hughes launched a double down the right field line to score Pollard, making it 8-6.
 
 A throwing error cost the Yellowjackets a run in the bottom of the eighth but Couch was able to get out of the jam when Fort Lewis College left the tying run on third base.
 
Hughes finished 2-for-4 with two runs batted in and Fisher went 2-for-3 with a pair of walks and one RBI. The Yellowjackets scored eight runs on eight hits and committed four errors while Fort Lewis College managed seven runs on seven hits with five errors.
 
Haley Couch (1-1) got the win in the circle for MSUB. She threw 6.0 innings and allowed one run (unearned) on three hits, walked zero and struck out three. Alyssa Etheridge allowed three earned runs in 2.0 innings of work.
 
Emily Morris (2-2) took the loss for Fort Lewis College after pitching the final 2.2 innings and giving up two runs (one earned) on two hits, walked zero, and struck out two.
 
MSU Billings (5-2) continues in the Dixie State Courtyard Classic Friday with games against Western New Mexico at 10 a.m. and No. 17 Dixie State University at 12:30 p.m. Both games will be available for streaming and live statistics via the MSUB Stretch Internet Portal on msubsports.com.

THE BUZZ: Rylan Austin was named St. Vincent Healthcare player of the day for MSUB.