BILLINGS, Mont. – The Montana State University Billings softball team will begin their quest for the post season as the travel to Canada to take on Simon Fraser University for the opening weekend of Great Northwest Athletic Conference play.
 
The Yellowjackets (8-9) technically enter conference play in last place but have not played any conference games as of yet. SFU (9-5, 3-1 GNAC) are in first place after taking three of four games from rival Western Washington University this past Sunday.
 
"We are excited to get started with conference play," said head coach Lisa McKinney. "Simon Fraser has a new coach and have been doing well this year. I believe we will carry the momentum from our 2-0 day on Monday against Carroll into conference play. The team has been pitching well and played good defense on Monday. They also made more solid contact in game 2 and they will take that into our game against SFU."
 
LAST TIME OUT: The 'Jackets played a fellow Montana team, the Carroll College Saints this past Monday. MSUB beat the Saints twice, 4-3 in game one and 10-5 in game two. In game two, Skyler Jenkins hit three home runs tying the school record for most home runs hit in a single game. She finished game a perfect 4-4. In addition, Jenkins blasted the game winning home run to end the first game in walk-off fashion.
 
Allie Hughes hit a pair of home runs in the second game, a solo shot in the third and a two-run shot in the fifth. Hughes enters the week with a .231 batting average and three homers on the year.

Senior Maddy Lincoln pitched a complete game in game one, allowing three runs on six hits with six strikeouts in eight innings. Junior Haley Couch won the second game allowing two runs on five hits with three strikeouts in four innings.
 
By the numbers: Jenkins now leads the team and is second in the GNAC with a .556 batting average and has 20 hits. She is tied for second in the GNAC and leads the team with five home runs as well as seventh in the league and first one the team with 14 RBIs.  
 
Payton Reynolds carries a .414 batting average and ha 12 hots on the year. Marin Penny has 13 hits, a .382 batting average, is third on the team with eight RBIs and carries a .735 slugging percentage. Morgan Quimby is second on the team with 17 hits, first on the team and in the GNAC with eight doubles and carries a .340 batting average.
 
Britzy Hockett leads the 'Jackets with 13 runs scored. The speedy slapper is hitting .283 with 13 hits. She leads MSUB and is third on the GNAC with 11 walks drawn and leads the team with five stolen bases on nine attempts. Brittanee Fisher is batting. 300 with 12 hits and six RBIs.
 
Lincoln (2-3) leads the team with 49.2. innings pitched. Improving each week Lincoln now has a season low 3.66 ERA which is ninth in the GNAC and has 28 strikeouts. Alyssa Etheridge (2-3) is second on the team with 24 strikeouts in 31.1 innings of work and has a 5.14 ERA. Couch pitched well last week in relief of Etheridge and is now 1-1 on the year with a 6.07 ERA and four strikeouts in 15.0 innings pitched.
 
Scouting Simon Fraser University
Game Day: Saturday, March 7-Burnaby, British Columbia- DH: 1:00pm & 3:00pm/Sunday, Mar. 8- 12:00pm & 2:00pm
2019 Record: 9-5, 3-1 GNAC 2-0 home, 1-1 away, 6-4 neutral
2018 Record: 9-30, 4-24 GNAC 1-13 homes, 3-11 away, 5-6 neutral
Head Coach: Tina Andreana (1^st season)
 
Under new head coach and former Canadian national team pitcher Tina Andreana, SFU has already tied their win total from all of last season. SFU is vastly improved from last year and will be a tough out for anyone this season.  Against the number two team in the nation, the University of Texas Tyler, SFU lost 10-6 but held the lead for the first three innings. SFU sports the fourth overall team batting average in the GNAC with a .293 and the third best ERA with a 4.03.
 
Individually, third basemen Alex Ogg leads the team and the GNAC with a .571 batting average. She has 32 hits, 11 RBIs and 15 runs scored. MSUB's pitching staff and defense will need to be ready to go when she steps to the plate. Amanda Janes leads the Clan with five home runs and 17 RBIs on a .212 batting average. Five of her nine hits all year have been home runs.
 
Anissa Zacharczuk is a perfect 8-0 from the circle. She has pitched a team high 55.2 innings and has 23 strikeouts. MSUB will no doubt face her for multiple games this weekend and if they can get to her, SFU's depth will come into question.
 
Live stats and video for all games will be available at msubsports.com.