TUCSON, Ariz. – The Montana State University Billings softball team plated five runs in the final two innings – plus got two baserunners in the bottom of the seventh – but the Yellowjackets came up just short against the San Francisco State Gators in a 8-7 loss in the Desert Stinger on Saturday.
 
Despite taking an early 2-0 lead, the Yellowjackets (4-6) fell behind the Gators (5-4) due to costly errors and the offense going cold until the later innings. A big four-inning frame in the sixth tied the game at 6-all, but the Gators outscored the 'Jackets 2-1 in the seventh inning.
 
"Overall, the biggest thing we learned was the importance of getting that leadoff out," MSUB head coach Lisa McKinney said. "That cost us a lot. We had a lot of first-batter walks and errors defensively, and that's something we'll need to clean up. But I'm super proud of our offense. They executed really well, we had a couple of sacrifice bunts and we had a little bunt-and-run with Brittanee Fisher's second stolen base of the year on a crazy slide. And Maycen O'Neal came up in big spots too."
 
San Francisco State's Kaitlyn Maddux (2-2) earned the win after pitching the final four innings, recording three strikeouts, nine hits and five runs, while issuing two walks. The 'Jackets put four pitchers in the circle throughout the game, yet Alyssa Etheridge (1-3) came in relief in the seventh inning and was credited with the loss. She finished with one strikeout, gave up two runs on two hits and walked another batter in her one inning of work.
 
QUICK HITS

• Morgan Quimby was named the St. Vincent Healthcare Player of the Day for going 2-for-5 with two hits, two runs scored and one RBI, along with her defense at second base. Quimby had two putouts and tied a team-high with two assists.
• San Francisco State was aggressive on the basepaths, stealing eight bases and bunting eight times.
• Maycen O'Neal led the 'Jackets with three RBIs.

 
The Gators tested Yellowjacket starter Julia Qualteri early, loading the bases in the first inning before Qualteri retired the final two batters on strikeouts. MSUB struck first in the bottom half of the first, as Sidney Pollard's RBI single sent Skyler Jenkins in to score and advanced Morgan Quimby to third. With no outs, Maycen O'Neal's sacrifice fly to deep left field gave Quimby enough time to score, giving MSUB a 2-0 lead.
 
For the second-straight inning, Qualteri worked her way out of a bases-loaded jam. San Francisco State tried playing smallball by getting on base on two bunts and stealing a base, but Sydney Norwood ended the inning after the Gators flew out along the first-base line to end the inning.
 
San Francisco State would get on the board with a three-run third inning. Taking advantage of back-to-back leadoff walks issued by Shelby Martin, the Gators brought runners home on bunts before plating their third run of the inning off an MSUB error. The Gators would extend their lead to 4-2 in the fourth inning, as leadoff hitter Lehua DeLeon got aboard on a single, then stole the next two bases before scoring on another MSUB error. The 'Jackets caught a break thanks to Morgan Quimby's quick reactions on a comebacker to Martin, as the senior quickly flipped the ball to first baseman Sydney Norwood to tag out the runner on first to end the inning.
 
Brittanee Fisher's pinch-hit single in the bottom of the fourth, then her second stolen base of the year brought her into scoring position with no outs. MSUB would put runners on the corners in the fourth, but the score remained 4-2 in favor of the Gators.
 
The Gators would score runs in back-to-back innings, taking a 6-2 lead heading into the bottom of the sixth. However, as the team has been wont to do in the season so far, the 'Jackets rallied late with a four-run sixth inning that saw nine different 'Jackets go up to bat.
 
Allie Hughes drew a four-pitch, leadoff walk to start things, then Fisher took her place on a fielder's choice. With one down, Jazlyn Kalehuawehe's pinch-hit single sent Fisher to second before Jenkins loaded the bases with a single of her own. On the first pitch she saw, Quimby helped the 'Jackets break through with an RBI single to make it a 6-3 ballgame. Although Pollard grounded out at the next at-bat, Payton Meyer was quick enough to score and pull MSUB within two runs.
 
After falling behind in the count, O'Neal's 2 RBI single down the left field line brought Quimby and Jenkins in to score, tying the game at six. Penney reached on a fielding error and pinchrunner Shelby Marquardt made it all the way to third, but the line stopped there.
 
With new life, the 'Jackets took the field in the top of the seventh with Alyssa Etheridge coming in to close out the game. But the Gators had a big inning of their own, scoring two runs on two hits, bolstered by an error, a passed ball and two stolen bases.
 
MSUB got close to walking it off in the bottom of the seventh, as Hughes and Fisher's back-to-back hits cornered the Gators with nobody out. Meyer reached on a fielder's choice, which also brought in Hughes to score and make it an 8-7 game. Jenkins reached, then Quimby's two-out single put runners at second and third with two outs, but Pollard went down swinging to end the game.
 
UP NEXT: MSUB finishes the Desert Stinger with a doubleheader against Chico State and Regis at 9:30 a.m. and noon, respectively. Livestream and live stat links can be found on the softball team's schedule page at msubsports.com.