LAKEWOOD, Colo. – Dylan Barkley took a no-hitter into the eighth inning on Saturday at All-Star Park, highlighting a doubleheader sweep of host Colorado Christian University by the Montana State University Billings baseball team.
 
The Cougars' lone hit off the Yellowjacket ace came off the bat of Drew Lloyd with one out in the eighth inning, when his soft pop up fell to the turf in center field just before a diving Carson Green could get his glove to it. Barkley allowed just three baserunners in his eight shutout innings of work, as the Yellowjackets cruised to a 6-0 win in Game 1.
 
"That game was the product of a great game plan by Coach (Matt) Hape, and then just being able to execute," said Barkley, who has already been named the Great Northwest Athletic Conference Pitcher of the Week twice this spring. "In addition to that, the defense played fantastic behind me and made my job easy."
 
MSUB produced again in the nightcap, scoring early and often in a 14-7 victory to complete the doubleheader sweep. Mitch Winter homered twice in Game 2, while James Anderson homered in each game and AJ Wagenmann and Green each added their first long ball of the season.
 
"Our offensive attack was up and down the lineup today," said MSUB head coach Derek Waddoups on his team's 20 runs produced in Saturday's doubleheader. "Mitch Winter hit a few home runs that created separation, and Justin Lutz had a big, pinch-hit double. It was fun watching our guys play together as a unit. We had a lot of different guys step up today in different roles."
 
The Yellowjackets leveled their 2022 record with the sweep, improving to 7-7 overall on the season. Hayden Foltz was 4-for-10 with four RBIs in the doubleheader, while Green finished 4-for-7 with three RBIs and three runs scored.
 
Colorado Christian fell to 1-9 with Saturday's defeats, as the hosts' losing skid extended to nine games. Eli Ludwig was 3-for-7 in the doubleheader to lead CCU, while Gabe Ramos hit a home run in Game 2 to highlight the Cougars' offense.
 
Game 1 – MSU Billings 6, Colorado Christian 0
 
Green led off the game with his first home run of the year, and two batters later Anderson made it 3-0 with a two-run blast that plated Foltz. Before the Cougars recorded an out, MSUB had produced enough offense to win the series opener.
 
"It doesn't happen often when you get to go deep into a game with 'the unsaid' still intact, and I wouldn't have been able to enjoy that without the fantastic support system I am grateful to have," Barkley commented on flirting with the no-hitter. "Friends, family, teammates, and coaches all succeed and enjoy wins like this together. It is all about the drive and power for this team. We came into this game hungry, and we devoured."
 
Luke Thompson drew a one-out walk in the bottom of the fifth inning, giving the Cougars their first baserunner as Barkley snapped a streak of 13 consecutive hitters retired to start the game. It was one of just three baserunners that Barkley allowed in his eight shutout innings of work, as he struck out eight while throwing 98 pitches to earn his second win of the season.
 
After the rough first inning, CCU starter Tyler Fischer settled in and kept his team in the game allowing no more runs through his seven innings pitched. Fischer struck out a dozen and allowed six hits, before Cole Kennedy allowed three runs on five hits over the final two innings.
 
MSUB bolstered its lead on a Cooper Dulich double in the eighth, before Bodee Wright and Green each drove in runs during a two-run ninth inning that put the game out of reach. Diego Hernandez pitched a scoreless bottom of the ninth, giving up one hit.
 
The win was the 11th of Barkley's career, moving him into a tie for fourth-most wins in school history. "The first inning of the day set the tone with our first three hitters," said Waddoups. "Barkley did an outstanding job taking a no-hitter into the eighth and only allowing the one hit. Diego came in and finished strong. It was good to see him pound the zone."
 
Game 2 – MSU Billings 14, Colorado Christian 7 (7 Innings)
 
The Yellowjackets got right back to work in the top of the first inning, scoring four times to jump ahead. Although CCU answered with a four-run bottom of the first, the Yellowjackets scored the next five runs to set up the doubleheader sweep.
 
Winter's second home run was a two-run shot in the first frame, as he blasted a no-doubter over the fence in center field. That came after back-to-back RBI-doubles off the bats of Foltz and Tyler Godfrey as MSUB established the early advantage.
 
Four different Cougars drove in runs in the bottom of the inning, as the hosts got to MSUB starter Matthew Houlihan early to tie the score at 4-4. The fourth-year right-hander, coming off a career-best nine innings pitched in his turn last week, calmed down to get through five innings with five strikeouts, four walks, and six hits allowed.
 
Ty Wilson tossed the final two innings, giving up three hits with a strikeout and no runs allowed. "I was proud of Houlihan throwing up some zeroes after a rough start," Waddoups commented on the right-hander finding his grip after the shaky first inning. "Ty Wilson was outstanding out of the 'pen. He really shut down any offensive momentum from CCU."
 
Winter's first collegiate multi-homer game was achieved with a solo shot in the third, before Foltz cleared the bases with a two-out, three-run double that made the score 8-4. CCU got back into it on Ramos' three-run homer in the fifth, but the Yellowjackets swiped momentum right back by scoring five times in the top of the sixth inning to bolster their lead. Anderson's homer started the late rally, before Wagenmann delivered his first long ball of the season in the form of a two-run shot.
 
CCU starter Cameron Speath went 1 1/3 innings allowing four runs on four hits with one strikeout and no walks. Cameron Manzaneras threw 3 2/3 frames with seven runs allowed on five hits with four strikeouts and six walks.
 
THE BUZZ: Barkley was selected as the St. Vincent Healthcare Player of the Day…MSUB is now 5-0 all-time against CCU and Saturday was the first-ever meeting in Lakewood between the programs.
 
NEXT UP: The series concludes on Sunday with another doubleheader scheduled for 11:30 a.m., this time taking place at Rawlings Field in Pueblo, Colo. Live coverage for Sunday's games can be found online here.