WALNUT, Calif. – Rallying to win its first game of the 2022 season on Saturday at Mazmanian Field, the Montana State University Billings baseball team split a doubleheader against host Cal State University Los Angeles.
 
Down to their final out in the opening game, the Yellowjackets rallied for four runs in the top of the ninth inning to claim a 9-7 triumph. The Golden Eagles responded with a 15-5 win in Game 2 on Saturday, moving their record to 2-1 on the season.
 
Game 1 – MSU Billings 9, Cal State Los Angeles 7
 
A four-run ninth inning propelled the Yellowjackets (1-2) to their first victory of the season, as they erased a 7-5 deficit to walk away with a win.
 
Down to their final out and with the bases loaded, AJ Wagenmann ripped a ground ball that was mishandled by Eagles third baseman A.J. Salgado. After an ensuing throwing error, all three baserunners crossed the plate to nudge the Yellowjackets in front.
 
Ty Wilson, who had already thrown 2 2/3 shutout innings of relief, sealed his first collegiate victory with a scoreless ninth. Wilson struck out five while walking two and allowing just two hits in his outing.
 
Tyler Godfrey went 2-for-5 in the opener, while Hayden Foltz and James Anderson each drove in a pair of runs.
 
MSUB starter Matthew Houlihan worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the bottom of the third inning, coaxing a soft ground ball to Payton Flynn to end the frame. Houlihan had four strikeouts and four walks while allowing four runs on eight hits in his four innings of work.
 
The first hit of Anderson's Yellowjacket career was a big one, as he delivered an RBI-double in the top of the fourth to even the score at 1-1. AJ Wagenmann blasted a two-run double into the gap in left-center on the very next pitch, as the 'Jackets capitalized on the opportunity and took a 3-1 lead. Foltz's first triple in an MSUB uniform came with two outs in the frame, plating both Cooper Dulich and Wagenmann to complete the big inning.
 
The hosts responded immediately to MSUB's big inning, plating three runs in the bottom of the fourth to pull back within one. Salgado had the big hit in the inning, with a two-out, RBI-double into the left-center gap that made it 5-4.
 
The Eagles turned a stellar double play to end the fifth, with second baseman Nick Atkins fielding a sharp ground ball up the middle, simultaneously twirling and flipping the ball to Will Picketts at short, and watching as the latter completed the twin killing with a throw that just beat Tyler Godfrey at first base.
 
A three-run bottom of the sixth pushed the lead back into the hands of CSULA, with RBIs coming from Salgado and Will Picketts and a Yellowjacket error aiding in the scoring.
 
Salgado went 3-for-4 with a pair of RBIs, while Hayden Luff went 4-for-5. Four different Eagles pieced together the game on the mound, with starter Julien Garcia and reliever Owen Hunt each going three innings and striking out four.
 
Game 2 – Cal State Los Angeles 15, MSU Billings 5 (7 Innings)
 
The Eagles scored in each of the first three innings, building a 7-3 advantage into the middle innings. MSUB's first three runs came in the top of the third, starting with a one-out double by Dominick Buso that set the stage. Mitch Winter's first collegiate hit was a two-run double, as the Yellowjackets evened the score 3-3.
 
CSULA responded right away however, scoring eight times in the bottom of the inning to take back command. Salgado led off the big frame with a triple, and six different Eagles brought home runs along with a wild pitch.
 
The Yellowjackets plated two more runs, but the big inning by the hosts proved to be decisive. CSULA added three runs in the bottom of the fifth, and one more in the sixth to seal the victory.
 
Salgado went 3-for-5 with three runs scored, while Picketts and Gerardo Castaneda added two hits and two RBIs apiece. Brent Jacques and Yuji Sakane each tossed three innings and struck out five hitters, with the latter earning the win.
 
True freshman Jackson Betancourt made his collegiate debut on Saturday, throwing two innings while striking out four and giving up one earned run on four hits. Freshman Logan Fragomeni, Tyler Elliott, and Logan Siblerud combined to finish the second game, with Elliott striking out five in 2 1/3 innings.
 
THE BUZZ: Wilson was selected as the St. Vincent Healthcare Player of the Day…MSUB is now 1-2 all-time against CSULA.
 
AHEAD: The series concludes on Sunday, with another 1 p.m. first pitch scheduled at Mazmanian Field. Live video will be available online here and live statistics will be available online here.