BILLINGS, Mont. – All five of the graduating seniors from the Montana State University Billings softball team contributed to a hard-fought Great Northwest Athletic Conference doubleheader split against No. 25 Northwest Nazarene University on Saturday afternoon at Avitus Group Stadium.
The Yellowjackets rallied from a 6-2 defeat in Saturday's opener to end the 2021 season with a sound 9-2 victory over the Nighthawks, who clinched the 2021 GNAC regular-season title on the final day of the season. MSUB finished the year at 10-26 overall and went 6-14 in conference play to take sixth place. The Nighthawks ended the regular season at 28-10 overall and claimed the league title with an 11-5 record in GNAC games.
Haley Couch threw 5 1/3 solid innings in her final appearance in the circle in Game 1,
Hailee Gregerson hit her seventh home run of the year and the 11th of her career, and
Payton Reynolds,
Taylor Anderson, and
Georgiabelle Benning each had hits in their final college games. "I am really proud of our seniors today," said MSUB head coach
Lisa McKinney. "
Haley Couch pitched a great first game, Georgiabelle came up with a big double, Taylor and Hailee came up with a few big hits as well, and Reynolds played a phenomenal third base today. Each one of them has taught the team something different and we will always remember that. I know they are all going to go on and do great things."
Game 1 – Northwest Nazarene 6, MSU Billings 2
Couch contributed one of the best outings of her career, allowing just one run to the conference-leading Nighthawks through the first five innings of the game. Ivy Hommel tied the score at 2-2 in the top of the sixth with a home run, which kicked off a five-run frame that ultimately decided the contest.
The Yellowjackets scored both of their runs in the third inning, when Gregerson executed a squeeze bunt and an ensuing defensive miscue allowed MSUB to take a 2-1 advantage. The inning came in response to a solo home run by Emma Mulligan, but that was all the scoring for either team aside from NNU's big sixth inning.
Couch had three strikeouts and zero walks, while giving up four runs on seven hits and throwing 76 pitches.
Alyssa Etheridge surrendered two runs on three hits over the final 1 2/3 innings of the game.
NNU starter Jackie Vargas allowed two runs on three hits with four strikeouts and one walk, throwing the first four frames. Tori Hensley took over and gave up just two hits while striking out three in three shutout innings to claim her eighth win of the year.
Game 2 – MSU Billings 9, Northwest Nazarene 2
The Yellowjackets stunned the Nighthawks with an eight-run first inning and never looked back en route to the season-closing victory.
With the bases loaded and one out in the bottom of the first inning,
Marin Penney launched a grand slam to left field to drive in four runs with her seventh long ball of the season.
Anderson followed with an RBI-double, before freshman
Brie Frazier hit her first collegiate home run in the form of a two-out, three-run shot to left to cap the eight-run frame.
The Nighthawks managed to plate a run in the top of the fifth to prevent a run-rule defeat, but baserunners were scarce against Yellowjacket right-hander
Jenna Kister. The freshman allowed just five hits while striking out four and walking none in a complete-game effort to claim her third win of the season. Kister threw 99 pitches, and notched her team-leading fourth complete game of the year.
Gregerson added the final long ball of her career in the fifth inning, which proved to be the Yellowjackets' final run of the season. After MSUB jumped on Hensley and ace Sidney Booth in the first inning, Gina Skinner threw 4 1/3 shutout innings of relief as she gave up just four baserunners the rest of the game for the Nighthawks.
THE BUZZ: Couch was named the St. Vincent Healthcare Player of the Day.
