BILLINGS, Mont. – Softball season will come to an end this weekend when Montana State University Billings plays a four game series against Great Northwest Athletic Conference opponent Simon Fraser University Friday and Saturday in a pair of doubleheaders beginning at 10 a.m. Friday and noon Saturday at Avitus Group Stadium. Both teams are tied for seventh place.
"We are definitely excited to play at home one last time this week," said head coach
Jessica Rayman. "We've spent a lot of time on the road this year it will be nice to finish out our season in front of friends and family. I think our team is going to come out and play hard for our three seniors that have given so much to our program."
The Yellowjackets are hoping to go out on a high note after suffering four road losses to Northwest Nazarene in Nampa, Idaho last weekend. Seniors
Shayla Felix,
Madison Kelly, and
Kelsee Bushell will be honored between games Saturday for their contributions to the program.
This season, MSUB was challenged by difficult winter weather, which forced them to play 40 of 46 games away from Avitus Group Stadium. The Yellowjackets are currently 1-3 in home games and have a chance to finish above .500 in Billings if they can sweep the series against the Clan.
All four games will be broadcast on
MSUB's stretch internet portal, with play-by-play commentary by Kurt Wilson.
Though the 'Jackets have struggled on the scoreboard in 2019, the team has featured several standout underclassmen that have made softball games exciting to watch. Freshman right-handed pitcher
Alyssa Etheridge threw the first no-hitter in school history against Saint Martin's University and sophomore
Allie Hughes leads the team with 19 runs batted in and has five home runs.
Allie Hughes leads the Yellowajackets in batting average.
MSU Billings ranks eighth in the GNAC with a .250 batting average and is seventh in pitching with a 5.48 earned run average. Junior
Payton Reynolds is tied for sixth in the conference with seven home runs and
Brittanee Fisher ranks fifth in walks with 19.
On the rubber, junior
Maddy Lincoln ranks fourth in strikeouts with 82 and seventh in innings pitched with 117.0. Lincoln has a team high 18 starts in the circle with Etheridge right behind at 17.
The Yellowjackets recorded eight hits in four games against NNU last weekend and were shut out in five innings twice. However, in their only home series against the (likely GNAC champion) Central Washington University, MSUB scored 21 runs. A strong offensive home series against bottom ranked Simon Fraser pitching could be likely.
Hughes leads the 'Jackets with a .287 batting average and is one of three players to start all 42 games this spring.
In 115 trips to the plate, Hughes has 33 hits with five home runs, one triple, and seven doubles. She is also slugging a team high .496 with 19 RBI and 15 walks.
MULTIPLE HIT GAMES:
Jolene House has just 25 starts but is still the hottest hitter in Rayman's starting lineup. House has seen time in right field and shortstop and is hitting .348. The junior has two doubles, eight walks, and three runs batted in for the 'Jackets.
Brittanee Fisher is a rock for MSUB at first base. Though she has been unable to maintain last year's .311 average at the plate, Fisher is still moving runners around the base paths efficiently, with 19 runs batted in, four home runs, and seven doubles. Fisher's .495 slugging percentage is behind only Hughes and her 19 walks is the most on the squad. Fisher and
Cailee Morgan reached base in 12 straight games at different points in 2019.
Brittanee Fisher is a sophomore first baseman for MSUB.
The 'Jackets struggled as a team to get on base last weekend, but Hailey Gregerson was a notable exception. In four games, Gregerson had three hits with a solo home run, one run batted in, and one walk. Her season batting average inched higher to .222 in 22 appearances and 15 starts. The junior from Park City, Montana has 12 games played in the outfield and five appearances as designated player.
Three players have committed zero errors in the field for the Yellowjackets. They include Felix, Skylar Jenkins, and
Morgan Quimby. Of the three, Felix has the most starts, excluding the designated hitter position with seven. Among starters, Fisher is the most efficient fielder at first base with 283 putouts and five errors (.983 fielding percentage).
Morgan Quimby fields a ground ball.
SENIOR SPOTLIGHT: Kelly managed just one hit against Northwest Nazarene last weekend, but maintains a .276 average, which places her second among regular starters. With 35 starts behind the plate, she has 12 runs batted in and three homers with a .460 slugging percentage. The longest tenured player on the team, Kelly played in one game as a freshman, then hit .175 as a sophomore in 41 games. Last season, she improved to a .200 average and has been a steady presence behind the plate this season.
"Madi Kelly has grown up so much in her three years here," said Rayman. "To see her turn into the leader that she has become has been really great to see. She has been tremendous in that role on and off the field for us. She never gives up through adversity and is constantly trying and fighting for this team so I think that will be one big contribution she will be remembered for along with her work ethic."
Madison Kelly bats at the Desert Stinger tournament in Las Vegas, Nevada.
New Mexico native Felix spent time at Trinidad State Junior College before joining MSUB last season. In her first season, she split time with Kelly behind the plate and hit .203 in 32 games as a junior. This season, Felix has appeared in 11 games and hit three doubles with five runs batted in.
"Shayla has also done some great things over the last two years here and really progressed throughout her tenure," commented coach Rayman. "She stepped up as another leader for us and brings that competitive aspect to the catcher position."
The 'Jackets will lose a piece of the left side of the infield with Bushell's graduation. Bushell started 41 games last season and batted .261 while slugging .450. This season, she has battled injury but still made 10 appearances with two doubles and two runs batted in. She hit an MSUB record three doubles in a game against Central Washington on March 10, 2018.
"
Kelsee Bushell over at shortstop has battled through some injuries this year but she still managed to be a vocal leader on our team," Rayman quipped. "I just really appreciate all three of our seniors and the work they've put in to help our program."
Shayla Felix (left), Kelsee Bushell (middle), and Madison Kelly (right) represent MSUB's softball senior class.
STARTS WITH ETHERIDGE:
Alyssa Etheridge's status as a freshman starting pitcher has not held her back from becoming a crucial part of the team in 2019. Etheridge made waves when she threw the first no-hitter in school history and has had some very visible highs and lows in her maiden season.
The Grants Pass, Oregon native recorded five strikeouts in a game on three occasions and won GNAC player of the week March 4-10. Etheridge (6-11, 5.84 ERA) struggled against the high octane offense of the Nighthawks last weekend and will need to bounce back quickly against Simon Fraser on Friday. It would come as no surprise to see Etheridge appear in three or even all four games in the final series of the year.
"I think Alyssa just has to stay within herself," Rayman said of the freshman. "I felt she lost a little bit of presence last weekend at NNU so we've been working with her on more live situations in practice this week to get her ready. She has the capability out there and we know that. She just has to focus on her game plan and I know she can give us a chance to win."
Alyssa Etheridge pitches at home against Central Washington.
Scouting Simon Fraser University
Game Day: Friday, April 26 – 10 a.m. & 12 p.m (time change). (Doubleheader)
Game Day: Saturday, April 27 – 12 p.m. & 2 p.m. (Doubleheader)
2019 Record: 9-26, 4-20 GNAC, 1-13 home, 3-7 away, 5-6 neutral
Head Coach: Michelle Peters (first season)
2018 Record: 21-19, 15-13 GNAC, 7-7 home, 11-6 away, 3-6 neutral
The Clan lost doubleheaders to Western Oregon and Concordia last weekend and split with Concordia the previous week. Despite their record, the Yellowjackets face a sizeable challenge at the top of the Clan batting order. Alex Ogg ranks fourth in the conference with a .436 batting average and .455 on-base percentage. In 35 games, Ogg has four doubles, one triple, and one home run with 17 runs batted in. Ogg (Surrey, British Columbia) is a sophomore third baseman who hit .260 as a freshman.
Sophomore first baseman Kate Fergusen holds a .364 average with three doubles, two triples, one home run, and 14 runs batted in. Junior catcher Amanda Janes leads the Clan with 29 runs batted in and six home runs. She is hitting .298 with five doubles, and two triples.
The Yellowjackets are likely to face three starting pitchers in four games against SFU. Anissa Zacharczuk (freshman, Kitchener, Ontario) has a 5.28 ERA and 3-4 record in 20 appearances for the Clan. In 55.2 innings pitched, Zacharczuk has walked 14 and struck out 13.
Jessica Fasolino (sophomore, Surrey, British Columbia) is 5-13 with a 6.01 ERA in 25 appearances (18 starts). Opponents are hitting .353 against with 13 home runs. Fasolino has a team leading 45 strikeouts and 34 walks. Jessica Tate (senior, Georgetown, Ontario) is 0-8 with a 6.70 ERA. In 54.1 innings of work, Tate has allowed 54 runs and six home runs. She has six strikeouts and 35 walks.
"I think if we come out and play well, we have a good chance to win at least three out of four this weekend against Simon Fraser at home," Rayman said. "They are pretty comparable and if we come out and compete and play the way we know we can, we are capable of winning the series. SFU has some very good hitters that we are aware of but so do we, so I would expect games to be very offensive this weekend."
MSU Billings is 19-17 in the all-time record book against SFU with a four game series split last season in Burnaby, British Columbia. The Yellowjackets defeated Simon Fraser 4-1 on March 4, 2018.
Haley Couch pitched a 7.0 inning complete game and earned the win after allowing one earned run on 10 hits and struck out one. Hughes had four hits in four trips to the plate for MSUB.
AROUND THE LEAGUE: Central Washington (28-14, 19-5 GNAC) became the first team to clinch a spot in the GNAC championships and they hold a three game lead over second place Concordia heading into the final weekend of the regular season. Western Oregon is third with Western Washington and Northwest Nazarene tied as they both vie for the fourth and final playoff position. Central Washington was ranked seventh in the west region (games through April 14).
Hannah Self (Concordia) earned softball player of the week honors after she hit .533 with six runs, nine RBI, three doubles, and three home runs to help her team to a sweep over Simon Fraser and Western Washington on the road. Lexie Strasser (Central Washington) was named GNAC pitcher of the week after earning two of the Wildcats' three wins over Saint Martin's with a 0.60 ERA.
