The worst start in school history belongs to the 2006 Yellowjacket team, which lost its first 18 games before securing the first win in the modern era of the baseball program. It was the first year that baseball had been reintroduced to MSUB, and the team was a member of the Heartland Conference. That was a far cry from this year's Yellowjacket squad, which entered the season as the reigning regular-season champion and with expectations of taking things a step further.
 
If the very first scheduled series of the year was any indication of how things would begin to unfold, the Yellowjackets might have forecasted they would be in for a long run of adversity. Snow in Golden, Colorado, canceled a three-game series at Colorado School of Mines, pushing MSUB's season-opening series back to February 15-17 at national powerhouse and then-ranked No. 12 Colorado Mesa University. MSUB led the season-opening game 3-2 after the top of the seventh, only to fall 5-4. It was the first of eight scenarios in the opening 11 games in which MSUB led, was tied, or trailed by a single run late in the game but went on to lose.
 

Date	Opponent	Scenario	Final	Notes
2-15	#12 CMU	T7, Led 3-2	L, 5-4
2-16	#12 CMU	T7, Led 5-3	L, 8-7	12 Innings, lost on walk-off single
2-17	#12 CMU	T6, Tied 4-4	L, 15-5
2-17	#12 CMU	T5, Tied 3-3	L, 6-3	7-inning game
2-23	#20 DSU	T8, Trailed 4-3	L, 4-3
2-24	#20 DSU	T8, Led 8-5	L, 10-8	3-run walk-off home run in B9 w/1 out
3-2	WOU	T9, Led 6-4	L, 8-6	3-run walk-off home run in B9 w/2 out
3-3	WOU	T9, Led 11-9	L, 12-11	Error allowed winning run to score in B9 w/2 out

Western Oregon University scored four runs in the bottom of the ninth inning in Game 1 of a doubleheader on March 3, stunning MSUB with a 12-11 defeat. By then, Sutton had difficulty finding words for his players in postgame talks. Although he struggled to articulate the reality that was cruelly presenting itself to his group, somewhere deep down he knew they had the capability to respond.
 
Things started to click, and the Yellowjackets began to win. A lot. "Our guys were mentally tough, and they trusted in each other and the coaching staff," Sutton commented on grinding through the brutal start to the season. "We talked a lot about how adversity is what makes us grow. There are not a lot of teams that would embrace that difficult time that we have, but I truly believe that the start to the season is what helped us finish the year the way that we did."
 
Early season travel played another factor in MSUB's struggles, as the team played 28 consecutive games away from Billings before making its home debut on April 6. Even the team's scheduled home opener, on March 16-17 against Central Washington, had to be relocated to an American Legion field in Cowley, Wyoming, about 90 minutes outside of Billings in order to avoid unplayable weather conditions.
 
"That is what makes a group of players special, is that you talk about how you want to have the tough route and you embrace that," said Sutton. "But when it truly smacks you in the mouth, it is how you handle it that defines you. The guys did a phenomenal job of bouncing back."
 
From March 3 onward, MSUB went 33-9, winning 6 of 7 conference series and splitting the other one. The Yellowjackets set a school record with 10 straight wins from March 17-29, and then surpassed it with 11 straight triumphs including back-to-back series sweeps to close the regular season and three straight wins to run through the GNAC tournament. MSUB started winning the close games that evaded them early on, going 12-3 in contests decided by two runs or fewer the rest of the year.
 
One thing that was never absent along the Yellowjackets' ride was one of the most prolific power offenses in Division II baseball. MSUB's team slugging percentage of .533 ranked No. 8 in the NCAA, and was just three points off last year's GNAC-record mark of .536. MSUB's school-record 124 doubles were the seventh most in the country, and for the second straight year the 'Jackets broke the GNAC home run record with the fourth-highest NCAA total at 83.
 

Rank	Team	Home Runs	Season
1	MSU Billings	83	2019
2	MSU Billings	78	2018
3	Northwest Nazarene	63	2017
4	Western Oregon	59	2010
5	Central Washington	58	2005
6	Western Oregon	54	2006
	Western Oregon	54	2012
8	MSU Billings	45	2017
	Western Oregon	45	2018
10	Northwest Nazarene	44	2016

The 'Jackets also broke the school and GNAC records for most total bases, with 957 to top last year's mark of 947 by 10. "I didn't think in the beginning we were going to be quite as offensive as we were last year, so it is a testament to the work Coach (Ryan) Wright does with the hitters," Sutton commented on the team's third-year hitting coach. "As we progressed throughout the year we got better, and the guys never stopped learning or striving to be their best. There wasn't a day we stepped into the park that we weren't coaching, and the guys took that and ran with it."
 
The balance among MSUB's roster was evidenced by a school and GNAC record 10 different individuals who received GNAC Player of the Week recognition throughout the spring. MSUB also had a player of the week in 10 consecutive weeks, the longest streak in GNAC history as well. MSUB also had a program-record 13 all-conference selections, and nine different players were named academic all-conference as well.
 

Date	Player	Position	Honor	Career POTW Awards
3-4	Daniel Cipriano*	First Baseman	Player of the Week	1
3-11	Dylan Barkley	Left-Handed Pitcher	Pitcher of the Week	1
3-11	Conner Linebarger	Second Baseman	Player of the Week	1
3-18	Brooks Zimmer*	Right-Handed Pitcher	Pitcher of the Week	1
3-25	Jarrod Molnaa*	Right-Handed Pitcher	Pitcher of the Week	1
4-1	Landon Peterson	Catcher	Player of the Week	1
4-8	Andrew Schleusner*	Designated Hitter	Player of the Week	2
4-15	Wyatt Setian	Shortstop	Player of the Week	1
4-22	Jalen Garcia	Centerfielder	Player of the Week	3
4-29	Daniel Cipriano*	First Baseman	Player of the Week	2
5-6	Steen Fredrickson	Right-Handed Pitcher	Pitcher of the Week	4

 *Was also named NCBWA West Region Player of the Week
 
Anchoring MSUB's lineup all season long was consensus All-American first baseman Daniel Cipriano, who was named the GNAC Player of the Year and Newcomer of the Year after a historic season. The Agoura Hills, California, native tied the GNAC single-season home run record with 18, and won the second Triple Crown in conference history as he also led the league with a .405 batting average and 52 RBIs. Cipriano had the second-highest slugging percentage in GNAC single-season history at .827, and broke Ryan Myers' MSUB single-season record for on-base percentage at .528. Both of those figures ranked in the top-10 nationally, and Cipriano's OPS of 1.355 was tied for the third-highest in Division II baseball.
 

Rank	Name	OBP	Season
1	Daniel Cipriano	0.528	2019
2	Ryan Myers	0.516	2018
3	Brody Miller	0.498	2014
4	Kaleo Johnson	0.497	2018
5	Kyle Durbin	0.476	2016
6	Ty Gilmore	0.475	2012
7	Kyle Pryor	0.474	2007
	Ryan Myers	0.474	2017
9	Adam Cox	0.460	2016
10	Chris Arpan	0.459	2019

"That guy just needed an opportunity," Sutton commented on Cipriano, who transferred in to MSUB at the semester break in January and received just five at-bats in the team's first eight games before starting the rest of the year. "He had one of the best seasons in conference history. I don't know if people realize how hard it is to come in at winter break and make that transition. When you watch Daniel perform, you see how excited his teammates get for him."
 
Cipriano also broke the GNAC single-season record with 27 times hit by pitch, a figure that ranked No. 2 nationally. That contributed to one of the most iconic streaks in school and conference history, as Cipriano reached base in 42 consecutive games from February 17-May 3.
 

 
Cipriano's awesome power paced a daunting lineup that featured five players with nine or more home runs, and 10 different players who had 20 or more RBIs. MSUB became the first team in GNAC history to have four different players reach double figures in home runs in a single season, and the only other team to even have three 10-plus home run players was the 2005 Central Washington squad.
 
Fellow transfer Chris Arpan combined with Cipriano to pack a power punch unlike any other lineup in the league. The junior from Lake Oswego, Oregon, hit .357 with 10 home runs, 14 doubles, and 39 RBIs despite missing nine starts due to injury. Arpan ranked third on the team and in the GNAC with a .643 slugging percentage, and second in the league with an on-base percentage of .459.
 
"Chris is a guy who a lot of people overlook, and he was a guy who really protected Cip," Sutton commented on the second-team all-region third baseman. "He was consistent for us all year. He is a guy who played injured, so to do what he did offensively was tremendous. Having his bat in our lineup every day was crucial."
 
Senior Jalen Garcia put the finishing touches on one of the top careers in MSUB history, with a season that got stronger as it progressed. The Billings native overcame a tough start to the year, hitting .292 through his first 16 games, and raised his average 62 points the rest of the season. Garcia finished his career on a 23-game hitting streak, the second-longest streak in MSUB history. Overall he ranked third on the team with a .354 batting average, while hitting 14 doubles, four triples, nine home runs, and driving in 33. He also led the team with a dozen stolen bases, while reaching base at a clip of .400 and slugging .605.
 
"Jalen was a tremendous player for us his whole career, and his name is plastered in the record books," said Sutton on the first-team all-region selection. "He is a guy who does everything right, and his performance on the field is top notch. We really feel like he has got professional tools, and hope that someone gives him an opportunity."
 
Garcia finished in the top-10 in MSUB history in almost every major offensive category, and his 46 career stolen bases were the most in school history. His .364 career batting average was third-best, as were his 23 home runs, 122 RBIs, 324 total bases, and 125 runs scored.
 

 
The cog at the top of the Yellowjackets' lineup was sophomore shortstop Wyatt Setian, who had a landmark campaign as the team's leadoff hitter. He broke school records for games played and started with 53, and for at-bats in a season with 217. He led the team with 71 hits, including 19 doubles, two triples, and a dozen home runs which led to a .599 slugging percentage. Seitan also stole four bases and scored 45 runs, while ranking second on the team with 48 RBIs.
 
"Wyatt really set the table for us offensively," Sutton commented on the two-year starter. "I was impressed with the jump he made from his freshman year, and the exciting thing is that he still has room for growth. To have the kind of year he did at the position he played, makes him one of the best at the spot in the country."
 
Setian was a second-team all-region and unanimous first-team all-GNAC shortstop, and his 130 total bases were the fourth most in MSUB single-season history.
 

 
A pair of fifth-year seniors saved their best seasons for last, as Matt Dillon and Landon Peterson were vital along the way for the 'Jackets. Dillon swatted 15 home runs to rank second in the league, while adding 13 doubles and slugging .647 in 49 starts as the team's rightfielder. The Billings native hit .287 on the year, and led the squad with 29 walks to help him reach base at a clip of .413. He was named a first-team all-region selection, after scoring 50 runs and driving in 42.
 
Dillon's late power surge upped him to No. 5 in MSUB history with 19 career home runs, and his slugging percentage this spring was the sixth-best in MSUB single-season history as well. "Matt did everything you could possibly ask of a player and a person," Sutton said. "To have the type of year he did in his last go, was an awesome accumulation of everything coming together. He is one of the guys who brought our mental toughness edge, and he rubbed off on guys in a lot of positive ways."
 

 
The moment of Dillon's career was a walk-off two-run home run on April 6, as he propelled MSUB to a 5-3 extra-inning win over Saint Martin's at Dehler Park.


 
Peterson meanwhile battled injury throughout the year and yielded his most productive campaign yet with a .322 batting average in 43 games played at catcher. Peterson had career highs of nine doubles, four home runs, and 26 RBIs, while reaching base at a clip of .453 and slugging .500. The Boise, Idaho, native broke the MSUB career records for putouts with 780 and runners caught stealing with 35 in his five-year career with the 'Jackets.
 

 
"No one deserved this season more than Landon, and he has been a tremendous leader throughout his career," said Sutton. "Whether he was in the lineup or not, he helped you win games in every way possible. He is truly one of the best vocal leaders I have ever been around, and is a guy who is going to be successful in anything that he chooses."
 
An injury-laden season didn't stop senior Conner Linebarger from producing, as he missed 15 games and was limited to a designated hitter capacity through much of the second half. He finished his career by batting .294 with six doubles, two triples, and three home runs, while driving in 26 and scoring 27 runs. Two of his home runs came during the GNAC Championships, during which Linebarger went 6-for-10 with seven RBIs and captured Most Valuable Player honors.
 
"It was a tremendous career for Conner here," Sutton said on the Bozeman native, who transferred from the University of Hawaii prior to the 2017 campaign. "He came back home and left his mark on this place, and battled through so much this season. He came up big when we needed him the most, and he is another guy who is going to leave big shoes to fill. The amount of respect that guy demanded without saying anything was tremendous."
 
Linebarger finished his career in the top-10 in MSUB history in runs (97), hit by pitch (24), hits (150), total bases (224), at-bats (472), RBIs (89), doubles (28), and assists (194).
 

 
Another all-region selection for MSUB was designated hitter Andrew Schleusner, who hit .293 with 13 doubles and 29 RBIs in his junior campaign. He started 39 games and played in 44, while also slotting in at catcher and in left field throughout the season. Schleusner earned GNAC Player of the Week and NCBWA West Region Player of the Week honors on April 8, and was a unanimous first-team all-conference honoree.
 
"Slice is one of the guys we are looking to make a big jump for us next season as far as leadership," Sutton said on the senior-to-be. "He was a guy who was consistent all year, and had another great offensive season for us."
 
Junior Tyler Detloff made 31 starts and played in 44 games primarily in left field, while batting .282 with eight doubles, five home runs, and driving in 21. He had some of the biggest swings of the bat by any player on the team, and had a knack for the clutch as he went 4-for-5 in pinch-hitting situations. None of his hits was bigger than his walk-off knock on April 18, giving MSUB an 8-7 win over Northwest Nazarene in the bottom of the ninth inning.


 
"Tyler was Mr. Clutch for us," Sutton said. "The guy came up big for us time and time again. He gave us that comfortability that when he came up, he was going to give us a quality at-bat. The presence he brought was crucial to our success, and he always kept things going to the next guy."
 
MSUB also witnessed the rapid development of redshirt freshman Ryan Roche, who was one of the team's leading hitters by the end of the season. After starting the year batting just .105 (2-for-19) in his first 22 games, Roche hit .422 (27-for-64) over his final 21 games to end the year fourth on the team with a .349 batting average. Overall Roche started 23 games and played in 43 primarily as a second baseman, while reaching base at a clip of .443 and going a perfect 6-for-6 in the stolen base department.
 
"Ryan was our biggest surprise, and he is a grinder," Sutton said. "He earned his teammates' respect, and his performance late in the year spoke for itself. He is a solid go-to guy in the bottom of the order."
 
Roche highlighted MSUB's most eye-popping single game of the year, when the team beat Central Washington 29-4 in record-breaking fashion on April 27 in Ellensburg, Washington. The 'Jackets set school records for runs and hits (31) in a game, and tied the GNAC record with 51 total bases on the afternoon. Roche meanwhile broke the school record for hits in a game by going 6-for-7, and came within one of the incredible single-game RBI record of nine held by Colby Robison (2013).
 
Roche was also the first of two players in 2019, and the fifth in MSUB history, to record a home run as his first career MSUB hit. Sitting on an 0-for-8 on the season, Roche hit a solo shot to left field on March 17 against CWU for his first collegiate hit. Junior Conner Poulson then followed with a home run for his first collegiate hit, hitting a deep blast over the fence in left during MSUB's record-breaking rampage on April 27.
 
Overall there have been six players in MSUB history to record a home run as their first-career Yellowjacket hit, the first four of which achieving the feat in their first-career at-bat. It was the first-career collegiate hit for four of those six players.
 

Season	Player	Year	Type	Date	Opponent	Location	Notes
2010	Kevin Zukaitis*	Junior	Solo	2-24-10	at Grand Canyon	Phoenix, AZ	First-Career At-Bat
2012	Matt Comer*	Senior	Solo	2-17-12	at CSU-Pueblo	Pueblo, CO	First-Career At-Bat
2016	Adam Cox	Sophomore	Solo	2-14-16	at Dixie State	St. George, UT	First-Career At-Bat
2017	Caje Golden	Freshman	Solo	2-25-17	at Dixie State	St. George, UT	First-Career At-Bat
2019	Ryan Roche	Freshman	Solo	3-17-19	Central Washington	Cowley, WY	Ninth-Career At-Bat
2019	Conner Poulson	Junior	Solo	2-27-19	at Central Washington	Ellensburg, WA	Fifth-Career At-Bat

 *First-career MSUB hit; had hits at previous universities
 
Poulson also became the 14th different MSUB player to hit a home run in 2019, making MSUB the fourth team in GNAC history to hold that distinction. The 2009 Western Oregon team had 15 different players hit at least one home run, none of which totaled more than six long balls on the year. The 2016 Central Washington and 2006 Western Oregon teams each also had 14 different players with a long ball.
 
While much of MSUB's success was fueled by its elite offense, the 'Jackets put together one of the most complete pitching rotations in school and conference history as well.
 
MSUB utilized five different starting pitchers all season long, becoming just the sixth team in GNAC history to post that kind of consistency in the rotation. MSUB's bid to become the first team in GNAC history to get through a year with only four starters ended in the final week of the season, but what MSUB's foursome achieved was historic.
 
Steen Fredrickson, Dylan Barkley, Jarrod Molnaa, and Keven Mackintosh combined to make 52 of 53 starts for the Yellowjacket staff, which broke the school and GNAC records for strikeouts in a season with 447.
 

 
MSUB's starting rotation also became the 14th in GNAC history to have four different pitchers make 10 or more starts in a single season. Among those 14 rotations, MSUB's had the second-most strikeouts (297), the third-fewest walks (92), the third-most wins (27), and the fifth-most innings pitched (285 1/3). Only the 2013 Western Oregon rotation of AJ Burke, Spenser Watkins, Zach Nuno, and Gary Steindorf had more strikeouts (302), and only the 2012 WOU and 2003 Central Washington rotations had fewer walks with 61 and 91, respectively.
 

 
Fredrickson was MSUB's ace throughout the year, turning in one of the top individual seasons in school history. The right-hander earned all-region and unanimous first-team all-GNAC recognition, after leading the league with 92 strikeouts and 86 1/3 innings pitched. He ranked second in the GNAC with a 3.96 earned run average, and with an opponents' batting average of .228. Fredrickson tied the school record for starts in a season with 14, and posted a 7-2 record on the year.
 
"Steen brought it every day, and had a tremendous year on the mound for us," said Sutton. "It was one of the best seasons anyone on an MSUB pitching staff has ever had. Rock is probably the best description for him."
 
Fredrickson finished his career No. 7 in GNAC history and No. 3 in MSUB history with 209 strikeouts, and racked up 19 victories which was also the seventh most in GNAC history. He logged 212 1/3 innings, the fourth-most in MSUB history, and finished as MSUB's career leader in strikeouts per nine innings with a figure of 8.86.
 

 
Molnaa's lone season at MSUB was also one of the best in school history, as he broke the Yellowjacket single-season wins record by going 8-3 on the year. Molnaa posted a 4.97 ERA, with 85 strikeouts in 76 innings pitched. He held opponents to a .259 batting average, and matched Fredrickson with 14 starts on the year.
 
"Jarrod was a bulldog for us, and he is going to make a tremendous coach someday," Sutton said. "The guy really reinvented himself throughout his career, and it was impressive to see a guy who has the will to win and who can get it done in multiple ways. Jarrod gave us his best on his last run, and we are appreciative he gave us the opportunity to be part of his career."
 
Molnaa earned GNAC Pitcher of the Week and NCBWA West Region Pitcher of the Week after a nine-strikeout, three-hit shutout in a 6-0 blanking at Saint Martin's on March 24. His other signature performance on the season was an 11-strikeout, 132-pitch effort to seal a 4-2 win in the opening game of the GNAC Championships on May 8. He also completed the second-longest scoreless inning streak in school history, which spanned 24 1/3 innings from March 17-April 7.
 

 
While Fredrickson and Molnaa started MSUB's nine-inning games, the 'Jackets relied on left-handers Barkley and Mackintosh in the seven-inning affairs.
 
Barkley, a redshirt freshman, went 7-2 with a 4.84 ERA and struck out 59 batters in 67 innings pitched. Barkley pitched five or more innings in 8 of 13 starts, while notching three quality starts and earning GNAC Pitcher of the Week accolades on March 11. "The presence Dylan carried as a freshman was second-to-none," Sutton commented on the Missoula native, who redshirted during the 2018 campaign. "He soaked it all in last year, and applied it to his freshman season. He gave us a quality outing and a chance to win every time he got the ball. I am excited for him to take this experience and apply it to next year. He is hungry, and has a chance to have a special career here."
 
Mackintosh had an impressive debut season at MSUB, after transferring from Lamar Community College. The junior went 5-3 in 11 starts, with 61 strikeouts and only 11 walks in 56 innings pitched. Mackintosh authored a pair of complete games, and carried a 5.46 ERA throughout the year. The highlight of his campaign was his accuracy on the hill, as he posted a streak of 29 1/3 consecutive innings without issuing a walk from March 17-April 13. That was interrupted only by a required intentional pass, and his streak of unintentional walks reached 35 2/3 innings from March 17-April 19. Mackintosh earned honorable mention all-conference, and his 1.77 walks per 9-inning game was the fourth-lowest in MSUB single-season history.
 
"Once Keven got going, he was impressive to watch," Sutton said. "He was consistent, showed no emotion, and pitched his game every time out. It didn't matter what game plan others had against him – when he had his stuff he could go up against the best."
   

 
The starters threw 285 1/3 of 428 2/3 innings on the season, or 67 percent of the workload for the team. The 'Jackets also relied on a mix of savvy veterans and newcomers in the bullpen, and broke the GNAC record for saves in a season with 19 split between five different players.
 

 
Senior Jared Winslow locked down four of those saves, striking out 28 and walking just 10 in 20 1/3 innings of work over 13 appearances. Winslow recorded the final out in MSUB's regular-season title-clinching win over Concordia on May 3, and in the team's conference tournament-clinching win over Saint Martin's on May 10. "Jared pitched in multiple roles for us throughout his career, and it is very difficult to ask someone to do that," Sutton commented on the fifth-year senior. "He embraced whatever helped the team win. He was an ultimate team guy, a captain, and another guy who defines Yellowjacket Baseball."
 
Winslow's 14 career wins were the third most in MSUB history, his 121 strikeouts were sixth most, and his 138 innings pitched were ninth most.
 

 
Leading the team with 17 appearances out of the bullpen was junior left-hander Sam Muskat, who posted a 5.40 ERA and matched Winslow with four saves on the year. Muskat struck out 26 batters and issued just eight walks, while tossing 26 2/3 innings in his role. "Sam had a calming effect among our staff, and you knew that when you gave him the ball you would be in a good spot," Sutton said. "He was a crucial part of our staff's success. He is like the stopper of our 'pen, because of what he does consistency wise."
 
Newcomers Brooks Zimmer, Sterling Lay, and redshirt freshman Hunter Roubidoux were each also key contributors out of the bullpen. Zimmer led the team and ranked second in the GNAC with six saves, while posting a 2.50 ERA and 20 strikeouts against just six walks in 18 innings pitched. Lay picked up three saves in his first year with the 'Jackets, while striking out 26 in 26 2/3 frames and pitching in 13 games including one start. Roubidoux meanwhile recorded two saves in his first year on the mound, and pitched 16 2/3 innings over a dozen appearances.
 
MSUB climbed as high as No. 5 in the NCBWA regional rankings, in the final poll released on May 6. The 'Jackets earned the No. 6 seed into the NCAA D2 West Region Championships, and were slotted against No. 2 seed UC San Diego and No. 3 seed Point Loma Nazarene. MSUB's season came to an end in La Jolla, California, with a 10-2 loss to PLNU on May 16 and a 7-5 defeat to UCSD the following day in the double-elimination regional championship.
 
Overall MSUB was the fourth team in GNAC history to make a regional championship. Western Oregon made the conference's first-ever appearance in 2005, going 2-2 in Grand Junction, Colorado. The Wolves returned to the regional stage in 2006, going 2-2 during a season in which then-junior Sutton batted .341 and started 46 games at his alma mater. The 2012 WOU squad was the last GNAC team to make a regional tournament, when it hosted the championship and lost its first two games.
 
"Our goal is to be better than we were this season," Sutton commented on the vision for the 2020 campaign. "We like to keep it as simple as that. Our mentality is to get better every day. We stressed to the guys the importance of the summer and offseason, and we feel like we have a strong core coming back. When we add in a lot of new faces, it will be an exciting and competitive fall season."