TUCSON, Ariz. – Kicking off the 12^th annual Desert Stinger, the Montana State University Billings softball team run-ruled Washburn University 10-2, then Academy of Art 14-3 on Friday afternoon.
 
"The girls did a great job of trying to continue on each inning," MSUB head softball coach Lisa McKinney said. "I think they wanted to try to at least score one run each inning, and I think they did that in the second game. It was great to see them make the adjustments – especially with all the pitching changes in the second game."
 
The Yellowjackets (4-5) had a historic performance from freshman shortstop Lauren Blaschak in the Washburn game, as the Billings West grad tied the MSUB single-game school record with 7 RBIs on a grand slam and a three-run home run. Both home runs were the first two of Blaschak's collegiate career.
 
In the nightcap against Academy of Art, senior shortstop Sidney Pollard kickstarted a seven-run sixth inning with an inside-the-park home run, which snowballed into a 40-minute-long half-inning with 12 'Jackets going up to bat.
 
All told, MSUB hit three home runs: Blaschak's two against Washburn, plus junior catcher Maycen O'Neal's third-inning solo home run against Academy of Art. Additionally, the 'Jackets played clean softball, committing only one error across both games.
 
"Last week we struggled with defense a bit, but it was nice to see everyone clean things up," McKinney said. "But that's also props to our pitchers: Julia Qualteri did a good job of getting excellent results, then Jenna Kister and Alyssa Etheridge worked together in the second game as well."
 
QUICK HITS

• Lauren Blaschak was named the St. Vincent Healthcare Player of the Day for finishing 2-2 at the plate with a grand slam, a three-run home run, 7 RBIs and one walk drawn against Washburn. Her 7 RBIs tied Rachel Quarnburg's single-game school record, which she set on April 7, 2006 against Oklahoma Panhandle State. Blaschak's day was also one RBI away from tying the Great Northwest Athletic Conference record, most recently achieved by Western Oregon's Jessica Hallmark against Northwest Nazarene on Feb. 28, 2009.
• Sidney Pollard went 2-for-4 with two hits, two runs scored and four RBIs against Academy of Art.
• Maycen O'Neal went 3-for-5 with three hits, 4 RBIs and a home run against Academy of Art.
• Brittanee Fisher went 2-for-2 with two hits, 2 RBIs, two runs scored and was walked once against Academy of Art.
• Julia Qualteri (2-1) and Alyssa Etheridge (1-2) picked up wins against Washburn and Academy of Art, respectively. Qualteri pitched all five innings against Washburn, had four strikeouts, issued one walk and only gave up one earned run on four hits. Etheridge closed out the latter three innings against Academy of Art with 4 strikeouts, one earned run on three hits, plus three walks.

 
Game 1: MSUB 10, Washburn 2 (5 innings)
 
The 'Jackets made a statement in their first inning of the Desert Stinger, plating six runners in the bottom of the first and never looking back against the Washburn Ichabods.
 
Senior shortstop Sidney Pollard kicked things off for the 'Jackets, smacking a two-out single to right field. Maycen O'Neal drew the first of her two walks of the day, then Penney followed suit, battling through an eight-pitch at-bat to load the bases for Lauren Blaschak. Despite falling behind 1-2 in the count, Blaschak sent the fourth pitch she saw to deep right-center field, giving her the first collegiate home run of her career.
 
"I was really just telling myself to stay within myself," Blaschak said. "After I hit that first foul ball, I knew that I was on. When I saw that pitch coming, it was a little outside and high, but I turned on it."
 
"As soon as I heard everyone cheering, it was so awesome," Blaschak added. "I don't think I've ever hit a grand slam before, so hitting my first collegiate one was really awesome. Running into my teammates was unexplainable, really. It was a really good feeling."
 
Working with a 4-0 cushion, Julia Qualteri recorded her first two strikeouts of the day in the top of the second. The junior righty's inning involved three lengthy at-bats before a routine groundout to Pollard gave Qualteri her second scoreless inning.
 
The 'Jackets somehow managed to outdo themselves in a five-run second inning.
 
Sophomore Claire Bagnell led off for MSUB with a ground-rule double in right-center field. Morgan Quimby drew a one-out walk, then both runners advanced into scoring position on a wild pitch of Pollard's at-bat. Pollard sent the runners home herself five pitches later: The senior's double into left field was far enough for Bagnell and Quimby to score and give MSUB a 6-0 run with only one out.
 
Like she had done in the previous inning, O'Neal drew a walk, keeping the line moving and advancing Penney to second. Penney's pop fly advanced Pollard to third, setting up Blaschak for another big swing. The freshman's swing on the third pitch was a no-doubter to center field, which brought her RBI total of the day to seven, tying the program record.
 
Once the dust settled, the 'Jackets had a 9-0 lead. The third inning was quick for both sides: Qualteri worked her way out of a little bit of trouble after Washburn put runners on first and second, then MSUB went down in order for the only time in the game in the next half-inning.
 
Washburn scored its first two runs of the game in the top of the fourth, but the 'Jackets got one of those runs back in the next half-inning on Penney's two-out RBI double. Penney worked a full count, then broke through with a grounder down the left field line that brought in Pollard to score her third run of the game.
 
Needing only three more outs to run-rule the Ichabods, the 'Jackets put one away with a routine pop-up to first baseman Brittanee Fisher. Washburn's Jaycee Ginter got hit by a pitch, then Hadley Kerschen doubled to put two runners in scoring position with one out.
 
Yet the 'Jackets had one more highlight play left in them.
 
Catcher Skyler Jenkins – who got the start at center field for the first time in her career – tracked down a hit in deep center field, took two steps and hurled the ball towards catcher Maycen O'Neal, who quickly laid down the tag and caught Ginter just off home plate for a game-inning double play.
 
Julia Qualteri earned the win by tossing all five innings, striking out four batters, walking one and giving up only one earned run on four hits. Ichabod starter Raegen Hamm took the loss after giving up five earned runs on three hits, walking two batters and recording two strikeouts in one inning. This was the first-ever meeting between the two programs
 
Game 2: MSUB 14, Academy of Art 3 (6 innings)
 
In the second meeting in as many weeks between the two teams, MSUB took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning off Maycen O'Neal's RBI single before both teams traded one-run half-innings. MSUB loaded the bases in the second inning after Academy of Art starter Jolene Rhoades issued three-straight walks to open the frame. Yet the 'Jackets would only get one run from Skyler Jenkins' sacrifice fly to left field that brought Brittanee Fisher in to score.
 
More runs would follow, however, as MSUB took a 3-1 lead off O'Neal's towering solo shot to center field in the top of the third. Although Academy of Art would get the run back in the next half-inning, the 'Jackets broke through with their first multi-run inning of the game.
 
Sidney Pollard's one-out 2 RBI double brought Claire Bagnell and Skyler Jenkins to score after they reached on a hit by pitch and a single, respectively, then Marin Penney's two-out single into left field brought Pollard in to score from second base. Alyssa Etheridge relieved starter Jenna Kister in the top of the fourth inning, pitched around a leadoff walk and helped pitch MSUB's first scoreless inning of the night.
 
In the top of the fifth, Sydney Norwood turned the first pitch she saw into a pinch-hit RBI double that brought Allie Hughes to score from third. Trailing 7-2, Academy of Art put two runners on with one out in the bottom of the fifth, but Etheridge struck out the next two batters on eight pitches to put up her second-straight clean inning.
 
Then the 'Jackets poured it on the Urban Knights in the sixth.
 
Pollard hit a deep shot to the corner of right field, then used her speed to pull off a leadoff, inside-the-park home run.
 
"It was a long at-bat, and when I hit that, I thought [the Academy of Art outfielder] was going to catch it," Pollard said. "But when she dove, I kept running out to second and I expected to see Coach McKinney waving me around to third. Once I got to third, I didn't expect her to keep waving me on, so I was kind of gassed but it was awesome."
 
Penney's one-out single got her on base, Jazlyn Kalehuawehe walked, then Fisher's bases-clearing 2 RBI double gave MSUB a 10-2 lead. Fisher would advance to third on a wild pitch, Payton Meyer drew a four-pitch walk, then both runners would advance on the second wild pitch of the inning to bring the 'Jackets lead to nine, 11-2.
 
Academy of Art's pitching struggled finding the strike zone. Bagnell worked a 3-1 count, but reached after getting hit by a pitch. Kilee Imada reached base, but Academy of Art would tag Meyer out at third. Preslee Christensen got hit by a pitch, loading the bases and bringing up Pollard for the second time in the inning. Pollard too, would be hit by a pitch to score a runner. O'Neal capitalized on the second at-bat of the half-inning with a 2 RBI-single to make it a 14-2 game.
 
Needing a big inning to keep the game going, Academy of Art recorded a leadoff single, a walk and would eventually score one run with two outs. Etheridge and Academy of Art third baseman Lauryn Henderson would battle it out for a six-pitch at bat that ended in Etheridge's fourth strikeout of the night.
 
UP NEXT: MSUB has one game against the San Francisco State Gators on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. Livestream and live stat links can either be found on the softball team's schedule page, or the Desert Stinger tournament page at msubsports.com.