BILLINGS, Mont. – Embarking on a two-week road trip, the Montana State University Billings baseball team will be taking on Saint Martin's University in a four-game Great Northwest Athletic Conference set this weekend in Lacey, Washington.

The Yellowjackets (7-13, 7-5 GNAC) will be looking to win their third straight series in conference play after taking 3 of 4 from Central Washington University and Northwest Nazarene University over the last two weeks.
 
Doubleheaders are scheduled to start at noon on Friday and Saturday, and live video and statistics will be available for all four games online through MSUB Stretch Internet portal online here .
 
"It felt good to get back in the win column last weekend, but our guys need to stay focused and hungry as we approach a tough series with SMU," said MSUB head coach Aaron Sutton. "It is always tough to go out and get wins on the road, and we will face a tough opponent who has been playing some really good baseball."
 
The Yellowjackets lost the series opener last week against Central Washington, before rallying to win the final three games in Cowley, Wyoming. MSUB now maintains sole possession of second place in the GNAC, while Saint Martin's (9-12, 5-7) is in fifth.
 
ZIMMER MAKES HISTORY: Freshman right-hander Brooks Zimmer made a bit of history last week, becoming the first MSUB player and just the fourth in GNAC history to record three saves during a four-game weekend series. That effort earned the Billings native GNAC and National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association West Region Pitcher of the Week honors.
 
Overall on the season, Zimmer has a 3.21 earned run average over seven appearances out of the bullpen, and has struck out 14 batters in 14.0 innings while completing four saves.
 
MACKINTOSH REBOOTS: After a forgettable outing against Northwest Nazarene University in which he couldn't escape the first inning, junior left-hander Keven Mackintosh was nearly untouchable in his start against Central Washington last week. Mackintosh struck out a dozen Wildcats over 6 2/3 innings pitched in the finale, while giving up just one run on three hits and walking no batters.
 
It was the most strikeouts by a Yellowjacket pitcher this season and was tied for the most by any GNAC pitcher. It also marked the fifth time in MSUB history a pitcher reached 12 strikeouts in a single game, and it was the most since Cody Cooper had a dozen on April 8, 2017 against Northwest Nazarene.
 

Rank	Player	Strikeouts	Date	Opponent
1	Steve Scott	15	3-7-08	University of Mary
2	Cody Cooper	13	4-16-16	Northwest Nazarene
	Kody Kennedy	13	3-6-10	Saint Martin's
4	Cody Cooper	12	4-8-17	Northwest Nazarene
	Keven Mackintosh	12	3-17-19	Central Washington
6	Seven With	11	--	--

STARTERS STAND OUT: While Mackintosh's outing was perhaps the best of last week's series, MSUB's other three starters each contributed in big ways to help the team claim the series win. Jarrod Molnaa extended into the seventh inning for the first time this year, striking out eight batters and earning his first win as a Yellowjacket. Although Steen Fredrickson was saddled with a no-decision in the series opener, he was locked in as well with nine strikeouts and one walk and just one earned run allowed in a season-high seven innings pitched. Lefty Dylan Barkley overcame a rough six-run first inning, and finished off five full frames to claim the victory in the second game of the series.
 
"Our pitching staff has really taken some ownership the last couple weeks, and it resulted in some success last weekend," Sutton said. "Our club always looks to take care of the small things, and our goal is to compete at a higher level this weekend."
 
CIPRIANO REMAINS AMONG NCAA LEADERS: Junior slugger Daniel Cipriano kept pace with national statistics leaders last week, as his on-base percentage of .587 ranks sixth in the country. He remains No. 3 in the country in slugging at .938, and his batting average of .458 is No. 20 in the nation.
 
SETIAN, PETERSON DELIVER BIG HOMERS: For the second straight series, senior Landon Peterson came through with a monumental three-run home run that shifted momentum. With the 'Jackets trailing 8-6 in the fifth inning of Game 2, and in danger of being swept on Day 1, Peterson crushed a go-ahead shot over the fence in right-center. It proved to be the game-winning hit, as he evoked memory of a three-run homer he hit last week in a win at Northwest Nazarene.
 
Sophomore Wyatt Setian had the big swing of the bat in the series finale, as his two-run homer was all the offense needed to back Mackintosh's stellar start. It was Setian's third long ball of the season, and he has also hit eight doubles to boost his slugging percentage to .533 coming out of the leadoff spot.
 
ARPAN, SCHLEUSNER RBI MACHINES: Eleven of Chris Arpan's 20 hits this season have gone for extra bases, as he is slugging .565 and is tied with Matt Dillon for second on the team with 15 RBIs. His nine doubles are the most in the GNAC, and he ranks fourth on the team with a .323 batting average. Junior Andrew Schleusner is close behind with 14 RBIs on the year, and he got his bat going last week as six of those came in the Central series.
 
FIRST HIT MEMORABLE FOR ROCHE: Redshirt freshman Ryan Roche collected a memorable first collegiate hit, as he homered in Game 3 of the CWU series. Roche's first college knock and RBI came in just his ninth at-bat of the season, and he also stole a base as he contributed to last week's series win.
 
Saint Martin's University Saints
Saturday, March 23 – 12 PM DOUBLEHEADER – Lacey, WA
Sunday, March 24 – 12 PM DOUBLEHEADER – Lacey, WA
2019 Record: 9-12, 5-7 GNAC
Head Coach: Kelly Gau, 2nd season
2018 Record: 11-37, 10-30 GNAC (6th place)
 
Saint Martin's took 3 of 4 games from Northwest Nazarene at home last week, pulling even with NNU for fourth place in the early conference standings. The Saints have eight straight road games after this weekend, playing at Western Oregon next week before visiting MSU Billings for the Yellowjackets' 2019 home opener.
 
SMU's strength this season has been its pitching staff, which leads the GNAC with a team ERA of 4.13. Aaron Shoup, Clark Streby, Tanner Inouye, and Benjamin Wadowski have each made five starts for SMU, and all have an ERA below the 5.00 mark. Inouye leads the squad with 33 strikeouts in 28 2/3 innings pitched, while Shoup's 3.23 ERA is the best among the Saint starters.
 
Veteran Mickey Walker has been used in the closer role this season, and has three saves in seven appearances while allowing just nine baserunners in 13 1/3 innings pitched.
 
Offensively, SMU is hitting just .232 as a team and has hit only three home runs in 21 games. Dakota Hill is the top hitter at .316, and has racked up five doubles while reaching base at a clip of .409. Aaron Renaud leads the team with 11 RBIs, and Ryne Oshiro's six doubles are the most on the team. Elijah Santiago and Isaac Hegamin are both threats on the base paths, as each has stolen four bags in six attempts.
 
The weekend series pits the top power hitting team in the conference in MSUB against the top pitching staff in SMU. The Yellowjackets' 27 home runs and 44 doubles are far and away the most in the league, and their 118 RBIs are second behind Western Oregon's 122. SMU meanwhile leads the GNAC with 173 strikeouts, and its 66 walks are the second-fewest in the conference.
 
The Series: MSUB is 40-46 all-time against SMU and is 19-21 in games played in Lacey. The Yellowjackets have won 10 of the last 12 road games in the series.
 
Last Time Out: MSUB won the season series 5-3 in 2018, after taking 3 of 4 on the road and splitting the home series.