BILLINGS, Mont. – Facing its toughest opponent of the season this weekend, the Montana State University Billings baseball team is set for a four-game series at No. 3 Colorado Mesa University kicking off on Thursday.
 
This Week's Schedule
Thursday, February 17 – 2 PM
Friday, February 18 – 11 AM (Doubleheader)
Saturday, February 19 – 12 PM
 
The games will take place at Canyon View Park in Grand Junction, an alternate site as the originally scheduled Suplizio Field is undergoing construction. Live video for the series will be available online here, and live statistics will be available online here. It will be MSUB's first series this season against a nationally-ranked opponent, and the 'Jackets will remain in Colorado for a four-game set at Colorado Christian from Feb. 24-26.
 
"Colorado Mesa is playing well and opened the year swinging hot bats," said MSUB head coach Derek Waddoups. "It is always a challenge to go to Mesa and we are up for it and excited to play one of the nation's best. In preparation, our focus is to control what we can control – how we play the game and our mental energy. I am excited to see our guys compete this weekend."
 
The Yellowjackets (4-4) are coming off a four-game series split at Cal Poly Pomona last weekend on the road. MSUB won the first and third games of the series, keeping its 2022 record at .500 after splitting the season-opening series at Cal State Los Angeles. "I was proud of our group over the eight-game California stretch," Waddoups said. "We played outstanding defensively and had several different pitchers step up and pitch well for us. I am excited at the outlook of our team after two road splits with quality teams."
 
BARKLEY WIN 2ND STRAIGHT WEEKLY AWARD: Senior left-hander Dylan Barkley won his second straight Great Northwest Athletic Conference Pitcher of the Week award on Monday, after making it two consecutive shutout performances to begin his final season with the 'Jackets. Barkley struck out eight hitters in seven scoreless innings against Cal Poly Pomona, helping the Yellowjackets to a 7-2 victory in the series opener.
 
Barkley upped his career strikeout total to 144, moving him to No. 4 in MSUB history. He also became the 14th pitcher in school history to post a scoreless inning streak of 12 innings or more. The program record is 26 1/3 shutout innings, set by Kyle McBride from March 13-April 21, 2006.
 
MSUB Baseball Career Strikeout Leaders (as of Feb. 16, 2022)

Rank	Player	Strikeouts	Career
1	Cody Cooper	237	2014-17
2	Brady Muller	232	2012-15
3	Steen Fredrickson	209	2016-19
4	Dylan Barkley	144	2019-22
5	Brian Howe	143	2008-11
6	Tanner Johnson	130	2015-16
7	Jared Winslow	121	2016-19
8	Brian Hutchings	120	2010-12
9	Steve Scott	114	2007-09
10	Kody Kennedy	113	2010-11

BETANCOURT SECURES 1ST COLLEGIATE W: True freshman left-hander Jackson Betancourt picked up the first victory of his collegiate career, holding the Broncos to three runs in five strong innings of work in Game 3 of the series. Betancourt has struck out seven hitters through the first seven innings of his career in his two turns in the rotation.
 
ELLIOTT LIGHTS OUT IN RELIEF: Senior Tyler Elliott wrapped up Betancourt's victory, allowing just one hit over four shutout frames to finish the game. Elliott struck out six and walked none, earning his first save of the season.
 
OUWEHAND GOES SCORELESS: Newcomer Mike Ouwehand had his first effective appearance as a Yellowjacket, authoring three scoreless innings while giving up three hits in his lone relief appearance last week.
 
DULICH CONTINUES ASCENT: After an impressive collegiate debut in the series at Cal State Los Angeles, true freshman shortstop Cooper Dulich was even better in the series at Cal Poly Pomona. Dulich is hitting .400 (10-for-25) while starting all eight games this season, and has three doubles and seven RBIs to hold a .520 slugging percentage. Dulich has drawn five walks and is reaching base at a clip of .500, and he is playing perfect defense in 28 chances at shortstop this spring.
 
ANDERSON HITS FIRST MSUB LONG BALL: Newcomer James Anderson hit his first home run in a Yellowjacket uniform last weekend, and is the team's second-leading slugger so far at .632 through the first eight games of the year. It was Anderson's seventh collegiate home run, after he hit six in his junior-college career at Skagit Valley. Anderson has also played perfect defense in 46 chances at first base.
 
GREEN COMES TO LIFE: Junior Carson Green went 6-for-15 (.400) in the series against the Broncos, including a 3-for-4 performance in the team's second victory. That upped his season batting average to .276, and Green is reaching base at a clip of .432 thanks in large part to being hit by a pitch six times already.
 
FOLTZ OK AFTER INJURY SCARE: After being hit in the face on a line-drive sun ball in the series at CSU Los Angeles, rightfielder Hayden Foltz shook off the potential serious injury and contributed in all four games at CPP. He also went 3-for-5 in the team's second victory, including hitting his second double of the season.
 
GODFREY EYEING INCREASED TIME: Tyler Godfrey has taken advantage of his four starts this season, hitting a team-best .412 and slugging a team-high .647. After hitting the Yellowjackets' first home run of the year in the CSULA series, Godfrey went 4-for-9 (.444) in his three games against the Broncos.
 
"Our situational hitting continued to improve last weekend," Waddoups commented on the team's offensive production. "We have an athletic group of position players. CMU will definitely test us and prepare us for the top GNAC teams come conference play. It will be a fun weekend to see where we stand and how we can continue to grow as a team."
 

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No. 3 Colorado Mesa University Mavericks
Canyon View Field – Grand Junction, Colorado
Thursday, February 17 – 2 PM
Friday, February 18 – 11 AM (Doubleheader)
Saturday, February 19 – 12 PM
2022 Record: 4-0
Head Coach: Chris Hanks, 24th season
2021 Record: 42-7, 34-2 RMAC (1st place, NCAA West Region 1st round)
 
The Mavericks demolished No. 22 Azusa Pacific University in the opening series of the season, starting with a 28-4 win and out-scoring the Cougars 73-29 to power their way to a 4-0 record. The daunting CMU offense hit 17 home runs and batted .424 while slugging .788 in the power surge to start the year. After hosting MSUB this weekend, the Mavericks take on another GNAC opponent in a four-game series against Northwest Nazarene University Feb. 24-26.
 
Harrison Rodgers and Caleb Farmer each hit six home runs on opening weekend, and combined to drive in 27 of the team's 67 runs. Returning All-American Haydn McGeary's .467 batting average ranked a mere sixth on the team, and he homered twice while driving in six runs.
 
On the mound, Kannon Handy was the most effective starter allowing one run in six innings in his 2022 debut. The team overall posted a 7.68 earned run average, with the Cougars hitting .246 in the series. CMU pitchers had good command, issuing just 15 walks in 34 innings while striking out 35 batters.
 
The Series: CMU holds an 11-3 advantage in the all-time series, and has won six games in-a-row dating back to the 2019 season. All 14 games in the four series between the teams have been played in Grand Junction.
 
Last Time Out: The Mavericks won both games in 2021, and were ranked No. 5 nationally the last time the teams squared off.