BILLINGS, Mont. – Set to make a final push at securing a spot in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference Softball Championships, the Montana State University Billings softball team hosts Saint Martin's University in a four-game series this weekend at Avitus Group Stadium.
 
The Yellowjackets (9-19, 5-7 GNAC) enter the week tied for fourth place in the conference standings with Western Oregon University. The top-four teams at the conclusion of the regular season earn a spot in the conference tournament, which is scheduled for May 6-8 at Western Oregon. "We have had some good time off, and the team is ready to get back to conference play," said MSUB head coach Lisa McKinney. "The GNAC is a tight race right now, and we need to continue how we have been playing."
 
This weekend's series is set to begin on Saturday afternoon with a 1 p.m. doubleheader, before concluding on Sunday with a noon doubleheader. Live video for the series will be available online here and live statistics will be available online here. "Having played Saint Martin's earlier this year, we know what to expect from them," said McKinney. "We need to take that knowledge and apply it early in the series to set the tone."
 
MSUB will close its regular season by hosting Northwest Nazarene University on April 30-May 1 at Avitus Group Stadium. The 'Jackets are seeking their first berth into the conference tournament since the 2015 season, when they claimed their first-ever GNAC title and advanced to the NCAA West Region Championships.
 
The Yellowjackets stormed back into the conference playoff push in their last series, rallying to win the final three games against Western Oregon on April 10-11 to pull even with the Wolves in the standings. MSUB enters this week's games on a season-best three-game winning streak. "The WOU series was a great series for us from leading in a game to coming back in the seventh for a win," said McKinney. "Our offense and defense gained some confidence throughout the series."
 
PLAYER OF THE WEEK PENNEY POSTS MEMORABLE PERFORMANCE: Marin Penney was named the GNAC Player of the Week, after hitting .727 with three doubles and a home run in the series against the Wolves. Penney had four RBIs, while reaching base in 8 of 12 plate appearances and scoring three times. Her walk-off sacrifice fly won Game 3 of the series for the 'Jackets, and she lifted her season batting average to .318 with the memorable offensive performance. Penney also holds a .957 fielding percentage at third base, committing just three errors in 70 chances this season at the hot corner.
 
FISHER HITS NO. 28: Senior Brittanee Fisher hit the 28th home run of her career in the series against the Wolves, as she moved one away from the No. 5 spot in school history held by Meg Harasymczuk. Fisher is in a four-way tie for the most home runs in the GNAC this season with eight, and she ranks eighth in the league with 22 RBIs. Fisher is batting .333 on the season and her .694 slugging percentage leads the team.
 

Rank	Player	Home Runs	Career
1	Cameron Cassinelli	40	2015-18
2	Kelly Parsons	35	2008-11
3	Kelsey Devlin	30	2014-17
	Emily Osborn	30	2012-15
5	Meg Harasymczuk	29	2011-12
6	Brittanee Fisher	28	2018-21
7	Stephanie Gosselin	25	2006-09
8	Theresa Campbell	23	2002-05
	Kaycee Hoffman	23	2010-11
10	Heather Tracy	21	2015-18
	Christy Wankel	21	2003-06

 
HUGHES HOMERS TWICE: Senior Allie Hughes kept pace with Fisher among the GNAC home run leaders, hitting a pair of long balls against the Wolves to push her season total to eight as well. Hughes leads the team with 24 RBIs, a figure that ranks her tied for fourth in the conference. Hughes also upped her career home run total to 18, as she moved into a tie for 13th in the school record books. Hughes needs two more home runs to tie Megan Dettling for No. 12 on the list.
 
POLLARD LEADS THE PACK: Junior shortstop Sidney Pollard continues to lead the team in hitting, with a .367 batting average through the first 25 games of the year. That mark ranks her eighth in the conference, and her five doubles are tied for the most on the team.
 
FRAZIER LIGHTS UP: Freshman centerfielder Brie Frazier ended the Western Oregon series on fire, going 6-for-8 with three runs scored on the final day. That included her first four-hit game as a Yellowjacket, and it lifted her season batting average to .333. Frazier is also a perfect 3-for-3 in stolen base attempts, leading the team in that category.
 
GREGERSON HITS 5TH HR: Senior Hailee Gregerson delivered her fifth home run of the year against WOU, and upped her season RBI total to 17 to put her third on the team. The slugger has struck out just seven times in 82 plate appearances, and is batting .274 on the season.
 
ANDERSON WALKS IT OFF: The Yellowjackets scored six runs in the final inning of the series against WOU, rallying from a 6-1 deficit to stun the Wolves and claim the series victory. Senior Taylor Anderson delivered the final blow, lining a walk-off single into the outfield to give the Yellowjackets the final victory. Anderson went 6-for-12 in the series, while driving in four runs and boosting her season batting average to .352.
 
COMMAND KEY FOR KISTER: Freshman right-hander Jenna Kister has thrived off of stellar command in the circle, as she has struck out 33 hitters while issuing just 11 walks. Eight of those free passes came in her first five outings of the year, as she has issued just three walks in 32 1/3 innings pitched over her last seven appearances. Kister enters this week's series leading the team with a 5.21 ERA.
 
Saint Martin's University Saints
2021 Record: 13-14, 4-8 GNAC
All-Time Series: MSUB 37, SMU 35
Series in Billings, MT: SMU 15, MSUB 14
Last Meeting: SMU 2, MSUB 0 (March 6 at Lacey, WA)
 
The Saints won both games against the Yellowjackets in non-conference play on March 6 in Lacey, Washington, before the second doubleheader was canceled due to weather. Facing its most important series of the season so far, the Saints enter the weekend one game behind both MSUB and WOU for the fourth and final playoff spot.
 
SMU was last in action on April 10-11, splitting a four-game home series against GNAC-leading Western Washington University. The Saints will close the year hosting Western Oregon in a four-game set next weekend after the series in Billings.
 
Britney Patrick is the team's leading hitter at .291, while Julia Lucas leads the team with 21 RBIs. Kylee Vanderbout has hit a pair of home runs and driven in 13, for a Saints offense that has a team batting average of .250.
 
Abby Runyon is SMU's main starting pitcher, with team highs of 41 strikeouts and 86 2/3 innings pitched while holding a 3.95 ERA. SMU has a team ERA of 5.57 and the opposition is hitting .318 off of Saint pitchers.