ST. GEORGE, Utah-The Montana State University Billings Softball team lost twice on day two of the Dixie State Courtyard Classic. Both games were narrow defeats for MSUB as they fell first to California State University, Dominguez Hills 4-2 and then to Colorado Mesa University 5-4.
 
Game 1- CSDH 4, MSUB 2 | Box Score
 
MSUB battled DSDH for three scoreless innings before the Toros struck first in the top of the fourth with one run. The Yellowjackets would answer back with one of their own to draw ever at 1-1 off of a Brittanee Fisher solo home run, her first of the year after hitting six in 2019.  
 
A two run home run from CSDH's Jade Loe in the top of the six gave the Toros a 3-1 lead. MSUB was unable to answer in the sixth and CSDH would add one more run in the top of the seventh for a 4-1 lead heading into the final half inning.
 
Payton Reynolds would hit her third home run of the year in the bottom of the seventh but with no runners on, MSUB was unable to capitalize on the big hit to drive in more runs. Facing just three more batters, CSDH put the game away and went on to the 4-2 win.
 
Marin Penney led MSUB with two hits on three at-bats and Alyssa Etheridge pitched a complete games for 7.0 innings allowing eight hits and four runs while striking out three Toros.
 
"Alyssa threw a really good game," said head coach Lisa McKinney. We had a couple of defensive miscues that cost but we were able to make an adjustment to their pitcher late in the game as well. Fisher and Reynolds came up with some big hits in the game too."
 
PLAYER OF THE GAME: Alyssa Etheridge was named the St. Vincent Healthcare Player of the Game for her complete game performance.
 
Game 2- CMU 5, MSUB 4 | Box Score
 
In a thrilling feature, MSUB held tough with the Mavericks but one too many errors spelt doom for the 'Jackets. Finishing with three errors, MSUB still had chances to win the game.
 
"Maddy threw a great game and got us a lot of ground balls," commented McKinney. "We struggled again on defense and our offense was better but we could just not get the clutch hit when we needed it. Mesa did a good job of capitalizing on our mistakes and did come up with some clutch hits."
 
Mesa would get on the board first with two runs in the bottom of the second and MSUB would add one run in the top of the fourth. For the second straight game Fisher hit a bomb over the left field fence to make it 2-1 in favor of Mesa.
 
Tack on one more run for the Mavericks in the bottom of the fourth and then MSUB produced their best inning of the day in the top of the fifth.
 
Scoring three runs in the inning, Britzy Hockett drew her sixth walk of the year then Cailee Morgan was hit by a pitch and MSUB found themselves with two runners on and no outs. Allie Hughes practiced patience and the third 'Jacket hitter was given a walk to load the bases.  
 
Morgan Quimby stepped to the plate and hit a hard single to the pitcher for the sacrifice ground out RBI as Hockett raced across home plate to make it 3-2. Fisher was next to enter the box and with two home runs on the day, the Mavericks were not going to give her anything over the plate. Fisher grounded into a double play but allowed Morgan to score from third to tie the game 3-3.
 
With two outs, Penney hit a single through the left side scorning Hughes and giving MSUB their first lead 4-3. CMU tied the game in the bottom of the fifth with an RBI single.
 
The Yellowjackets would have a runner in scoring position in the top of the sixth as Hockett yet again drew a walk and then stole second base. The speedy lefty leads the team with four stolen bases. She would advance to third with two outs on a throwing error by the Maverick catcher. A third out pop up ended the inning and left Hockett stranded in scoring position.
 
A one-two-three top of the seventh for MSUB gave Mesa the chance for a walk off win with the score noted at four and they did just that. With a runner at second, Camryn Mullen singled up the middle and drove across the game winning run to make it 5-4.
 
Pitching to contact and producing a lot of ground balls, Maddy Lincoln threw another complete game allowing 11 hits, five runs and had one strikeouts.
 
PLAYER OF THE GAME: Marin Penney was named the St. Vincent Healthcare Player of the Game. Penny went two for three with one RBI. The freshmen is also tied for the team lead with three homeruns.
 
WHAT'S AHEAD: MSUB (5-5) concludes the Courtyard Classic with a game against Fort Lewis College (1-2) at 3:00pm MST.