POMONA, Calif. – Preparing for its second straight Southern California series, the Montana State University Billings baseball team gets back in action this weekend with a four-game set at Cal Poly Pomona.
 
This Week's Schedule
Thursday, Feb. 10 – 5 PM
Friday, Feb. 11 – 12 PM
Saturday, Feb. 12 – 12 PM (Doubleheader)
 
Live video for the series against the Broncos will be available online here, with live statistics available online here. "We know we are in for a challenge as they are a top CCAA school," said MSUB head coach Derek Waddoups. "They are a disciplined group that makes you earn everything. They have an outstanding pitching staff so we look forward to competing against quality arms all weekend. They will put pressure on us as they attack the strike zone and also do a great job offensively of putting the ball in play. It will be a good challenge for us to see how we bounce back after our opening weekend against a quality opponent."
 
The Yellowjackets (2-2) kicked off their 2022 season with a four-game series split at Cal State University Los Angeles last weekend in Walnut, Calif. MSUB rallied to win the finale 19-8, emerging into this week's series with the momentum of a sound victory. "We really liked how our pitching staff performed overall on the weekend," Waddoups said. "All four starters gave us an opportunity to be in the game with (Dylan) Barkley and (Connor) Redmond really dominating over the weekend. We also had several great relief outings and for us to achieve our goals pitching is going to be a key. Coach (Matt) Hape has really prepared the group and we had a great plan going into the weekend."
 
Both of the Yellowjackets' wins last week featured notable occurrences, the first being a four-run ninth inning with the team trailing 7-5 and down to its final out in Game 2. MSUB made the two-run lead hold up to secure its first victory of the season. In the runaway victory in Game 4, MSUB recorded just the third 10-run inning in program history to pull ahead 10-0 after the top of the second. The big lead was never in jeopardy the rest of the game.
 
"We did a good job this past weekend of putting up a lot of 0 and 1 run innings defensively," Waddoups said. "We also had a few innings get away. The focus will be controlling those innings to minimize and not allow the big innings. Looking at all four games the difference is the big innings, so we are working to keep composure and to limit those innings. 
 
BARKLEY CLAIMS GNAC WEEKLY AWARD: Senior left-hander Dylan Barkley earned the first Great Northwest Athletic Conference Pitcher of the Week award this season, after striking out nine hitters in five shutout innings in the season opener last Friday. Barkley, who was one off his career single-game high in strikeouts, claimed the second pitcher of the week award of his career.
 
The fourth-year starter also moved up one spot to No. 5 in MSUB history, with 136 career strikeouts dating back to his debut season in 2019. Barkley also enters this week with nine career victories, ranking him ninth in program history, and with 25 career starts, ranking him seventh in school history.
 
MSUB Baseball Career Strikeout Leaders (as of Feb. 8, 2022)

Rank	Player	Strikeouts	Career
1	Cody Cooper	237	2014-17
2	Brady Muller	232	2012-15
3	Steen Fredrickson	209	2016-19
4	Brian Howe	143	2008-11
5	Dylan Barkley	136	2019-22
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

WILSON EFFECTIVE IN MSUB DEBUT: Left-hander Ty Wilson helped the 'Jackets claim their first win of the season with 3 2/3 shutout frames in relief in Game 2 against the Golden Eagles. Wilson kept the deficit manageable to set up the late comeback, and then sealed the game in the ninth to pick up his first collegiate win. Wilson struck out five and surrendered two hits in his first outing.
 
RAINEY GETS IT DONE IN RELIEF: Like Wilson, Blake Rainey had a notable MSUB debut as he tossed 2 1/3 shutout innings to close out Game 1 of the series. The righty gave up just two baserunners while facing one over the minimum in his first turn as a 'Jacket.
 
REDMOND WINS IN SEASON DEBUT: Connor Redmond was the beneficiary of MSUB's 10-run inning, and completed five innings to earn the victory in the series finale. The senior right-hander had good command with two strikeouts and zero walks, while giving up two runs on five hits.
 
BUSO MAKES MOST OF OPPORTUNITY: Senior outfielder Dominick Buso capitalized on his at-bats last week, going 5-for-10 with a double and driving in four runs. Buso struck out just one time in 13 plate appearances, while reaching base at a clip of .538.
 
FRESHMAN DP TANDEM EXCELS: True freshmen Cooper Dulich and Bodee Wright were impressive up the middle for the Yellowjackets, with each making their collegiate debut last week. Wright hit .500 (4-for-8) with three RBIs and a pair of stolen bases, while Dulich batted .333 (4-for-12) with three RBIs. The duo combined to play error-free defense in 17 chances defensively as well.
 
BABCOCK-BARRIE LEADS OFFENSIVE PRODUCTION: Sophomore catcher Ethan Babcock-Barrie led MSUB's charge offensively, hitting .429 (6-for-14) with two doubles and a team-high five RBIs in the middle of the lineup. He also struck out just once, while slugging .571 and scoring a pair of runs.
 
GODFREY DELIVERS FIRST HR: Yellowjacket newcomer Tyler Godfrey hit his first home run in an MSUB uniform, as his blast in the finale was the team's first long ball of the season. It was Godfrey's third collegiate home run, after he hit a pair during his abbreviated 2020 season at Luna Community College.
 
OFFENSE BALANCED ON OPENING WEEKEND: Fifteen different Yellowjackets recorded a hit and 15 also scored a run in the opening four games of the season. MSUB reached base at a clip of .440, averaging 3.3 walks drawn and 2.5 times hit by pitch per game. "We improved our approach each game on the weekend," Waddoups said. "We have a lot of new faces in our lineup and they are maturing quickly. We also have some good depth that will help us as we get into the long GNAC doubleheader schedule. We played well defensively all weekend. We are an athletic group and had several guys step up and make plays. I am optimistic that our defense will be a strength moving forward."
 

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Cal Poly Pomona Broncos
Thursday, February 10 – 5 PM
Friday, February 11 – 12 PM
Saturday, February 12 – 12 PM (Doubleheader)
Scolinos Field – Pomona, California
2022 Record: 3-1
Head Coach: Randy Betten, 12th season
2021 Record: 0-0
 
The Broncos shook off a 7-1 loss to UC Colorado Springs in their 2022 season opener, and finished the series against the Mountain Lions with three straight victories to start the year 3-1. CPP has a single game against Biola on Feb. 22 after this week's series, before jumping into its California Collegiate Athletic Association schedule.
 
Hitting just .215 as a team in its opening series of the year, the Broncos relied heavily on their pitching staff to emerge with the series victory. Seven different pitchers posted an ERA of 4.50 or better, with all four starters pitching at least into the fifth inning. Noel Soto struck out 11 hitters in his six innings of work, while Rhys Stevens had nine punch outs in 4 2/3 innings and Will Rudy had eight strikeouts in five innings. Connor Tousignant earned a pair of wins out of the bullpen, striking out three and allowing zero baserunners in his two frames of work.
 
Offensively, Jacob Lopez, Tyler Chaffee, and Cesar Lopez each drove in three runs to pace the squad. Ryan Knowles and Lopez each had a pair of doubles, while the former led the team with an on-base percentage of .579 and two stolen bases.
 
The Series: This weekend will mark the first-ever meeting between the Yellowjackets and Broncos.