BURNABY, B.C.-The Montana State University Billings Softball team lost a pair of gut wrenching games to Simon Fraser University in the opening weekend of Great Northwest Athletic Conference play. MSUB held the lead going into the seventh inning in both games. The Yellowjackets are now 8-11, 0-2 and SFU is 11-5, 5-1.
GAME 1: SFU 9, MSUB 8 | Box Score
Late inning drama highlighted game one between the clan and the Yellowjackets. Doing most of their damage early, SFU shot out to a 4-1 lead after the first inning. MSUB tried to chip away at the lead and managed to make it 6-3 going into the seventh and final inning.
Leading off the seventh,
Britzy Hockett was given first base after being hit by a pitch.
Skyler Jenkins singled to move Hockett to second.
Brittanee Fisher then hit an RBI single as Hockett scored from second and bring the score to 6-4.
Morgan Quimby reached on fielder choice to advance Jenkins to third base.
Allie Hughes then hit an RBI single to score Jenkins, cut it to 6-5 and set the table for
Taylor Anderson. Anderson entered as a pinch hitter and took the very first pitch she saw down the right field line for a bases clearing three RBI triple. Anderson's first triple of the year resulted in MSUB taking their first lead of the game 8-6.
The ever moving momentum pendulum had swung MSUB's direction, but would only stay for a fleeting moment as SFU's Hannah Boulanger hit a two RBI home run in the bottom of the seventh to tie the game at 8-8. One double and a MSUB error later placed the winning run at third base. With one swing of the bat, Kate Ferguson lined a single to the outfield to score the runner from third and escape with the 9-8 run.
Maddy Lincoln (2-4) pitched her fourth complete game allowing 14 hits, nine runs and had two strikeouts. Hughes finished game one 4-4 from the plate with one run scored and two RBIs. Jenkins had two hits, one run scored and one RBI.
Sidney Pollard had one hit but it proved to be a big one as she drove in the game tying run in the top of the seventh.
PLAYER OF THE GAME: Allie Hughes was named the St. Vincent Healthcare Player of the Game…Hughes went 4-4 in the game with two RBIs and one run scored.
GAME 2: SFU 7, MSUB 6 | Box Score
Fighting back falling snow, MSUB struck first in game two with two runs in the top of the second. Peyton Reynolds hit an RBI single to right field scoring Anderson who had reached on a single of her own two batters earlier. Two batters later
Georgiabelle Benning also made the most of her at bat and hit her own RBI single scoring Fisher from third to take the 2-0 lead into the bottom half of the inning.
SFU would score three runs in the third to take the lead only to see MSUB knot it up 3-3 in the top of the fourth. Fisher hit her third home run of the year as she rocketed a solo shot to tie the game. MSUB would go ahead 4-3 in the fifth inning as Anderson continued her banner day with a single up the middle to score Jenkins.
Reynolds extended the 'Jacket lead 5-3 on a solo home run, her fourth of the year. In the top of the seventh Anderson, who by now is arguably having her best day as a Yellowjacket, hit an RBI double scoring Hughes to make it 6-4 headlining into the bottom of the seventh. Anderson was one hit away from the cycle on the day as she had a triple, a double and at least one single.
SFU tied the game up in the bottom of the seventh 6-6 on a Megan Duclos bases clearing two RBI single with one out. With a runner at third and one out, a costly MSUB error cost the Yellowjackets the win as they fall 7-6.
PLAYER OF THE GAME: Taylor Anderson is named the St. Vincent Healthcare Player of the Game…Anderson went 3-4 with two RBIs and one run scored.
WHAT'S AHEAD: The Yellowjackets are back in action against SFU with two more games tomorrow. Game one is scheduled for 1:00pm MST and game two at 3:00pm MST.
