MONMOUTH, Ore. – In two hard-fought games against the Western Oregon Wolves, the Montana State University Billings softball team split its four-game series with a 4-3 defeat in 11 innings, then a 11-4 loss to close the weekend on Sunday.
 
"This weekend we had a ton of energy and played some really good defense, highlighted by Marin Penney's multiple lead-outs on bunts," MSUB head softball coach Lisa McKinney said. "We struggled offensively today with stringing hits together, but we will learn from our offensive mistakes and continue to build off our defensive plays."
 
Before game one on Sunday, the Yellowjackets (10-16, 4-4 GNAC) hadn't played in a game with 10 innings or more since the 2015 NCAA West Regional against Sonoma State on May 9, 2015. Starting pitcher Alyssa Etheridge pitched in all 10.1 innings in game one for the Yellowjackets and put up a career-high 14 strikeouts on 176 pitches. Yet after the extra-inning marathon, the Wolves (15-14, 2-6 GNAC) pulled away with a big sixth inning in game two to split the season series.
 
"Alyssa was solid on the mound again today," McKinney said. "She did a great job of getting good results and keeping the batters at bay. She has stepped up big time in the circle as a leader for us over the past few weekends, and we can't wait to see more of it."
 
Offensively, Maycen O'Neal went 2-for-5 with a run and three walks; Allie Hughes went 2-for-6 with 2 RBIs, a run and drew two walks; plus sophomore Kilee Imada hit her second home run of the season with a three-run blast to left field in game two.
 
QUICK HITS

• Alyssa Etheridge was named the St. Vincent Healthcare Player of the Day for striking out 14 batters, issuing only four walks and giving up only three earned runs in 10.1 innings of work in game one. Her 14 strikeouts were not only a single-game career high, but also are tied for fourth-most in a single game in MSUB softball history.
• Kilee Imada homered for the second time in as many days in game two. Her three-run home run in the top of the second inning was the third of her career.
• MSUB played cleaner defense across both games, only committing one error to WOU's five.
• Game one was the longest MSUB softball game since playing 12 innings against Sonoma State in the NCAA D2 West Regional on May 9, 2015. The Yellowjackets are now 0-2 in extra inning games this season.

 
Game 1: WOU 4, MSUB 3 (11 innings)
 
Playing in its longest game since a 12-inning showdown against Sonoma State in the 2015 West Regional, the Yellowjackets ran out of gas in a 4-3 11-inning marathon.
 
MSUB struck first in the top of the second, as Maycen O'Neal got ahead 3-1 in the count before hitting a single past WOU's shortstop, then Brittanee Fisher got hit by a pitch to reach base. Western Oregon catcher Natalie Willoughby tried to pick off Fisher at first, giving O'Neal enough time to advance to third. Marin Penney's groundout to second brought in O'Neal on the next at-bat to put MSUB up 1-0. With two outs, Allie Hughes worked a full count, fouled off the next four pitches to stay alive, then singled up past WOU's diving shortstop to bring Fisher home.
 
"Allie has been doing a great job of battling at the plate and finding a way on base," McKinney said. "She continued to see the ball well today and she makes adjustments quickly."
 
Hughes' at-bat would become crucial over the next three innings, as MSUB wouldn't score again until the fifth. The defense, meanwhile, kept the door open. After giving up a leadoff single in the second, Etheridge caught Sophie Franklin's bunt attempt, then threw out Kirah McGlothan at first for a pivotal double-play. Then in the third, WOU put two runners aboard on singles, then Etheridge struck out Zoie Recolan and Willoughby on an efficient seven pitches to end the inning.
 
The defense kept doing its job in the fourth. WOU got aboard with a leadoff single, then tried to play small-ball with a bunt to put two runners on at the next at-bat. But Penney bolted in near home plate and her throw to shortstop Kilee Imada, who was covering second, was in time to get the lead runner out. Two-straight groundouts from the Wolves stranded yet another runner in scoring position, giving MSUB a 2-0 lead going into the fifth inning.
 
MSUB broke through in the fifth inning by taking advantage of two Western Oregon errors. Skyler Jenkins got aboard with a leadoff walk, then with two outs, O'Neal singled and reached second on a Wolves' throwing error, which sent Jenkins home. Fisher got on base off another WOU error, then Penney walked to load the bases, but that was all for the 'Jackets in the fifth.
 
MSUB's insurance run quickly proved to be valuable, as Western Oregon got on the board with Logan Carlos' solo home run in the bottom of the fifth. Recolan and Erica Soliz hit RBI doubles to tie the game at three-all, but Etheridge retired the next two batters to limit the damage.
 
With the game tied at three in the bottom of the sixth, Etheridge worked around a leadoff walk, then struck out Bella Valdes for her single-game career-high ninth strikeout. WOU would strand two more baserunners in the bottom of the sixth, setting up a quick seventh inning.
 
Alexis Tovar started the rally with her one-out single through the right side. O'Neal drew a six-pitch walk to but two runners aboard with one out, then Fisher singled to load the bases. Although the 'Jackets came up empty, Etheridge and the defense responded with a quick inning in the bottom of the seventh. Etheridge only needed three pitches to record the first two outs, then she retired McGlothan for her 10^th strikeout of the day.
 
Although the Yellowjackets would strand four runners in extra innings, Etheridge and the defense put together three scoreless innings before WOU second baseman Bella Valdes brought Franklin home on a fielder's choice to walk it off in the 11^th, 4-3.
 
Despite the loss, Etheridge struck out a career-high 14 batters in 10.1 innings of work while only allowing three earned runs on nine hits. Her 14-strikeout day was the most by a Yellowjacket since Joey Ehnes' 15-strikeout day against Chaminade on April 6, 2005. Reilly Tidwell (3-2) got the win for Western Oregon after recording 10 strikeouts and 10 walks in 11 innings of work.
 
Game 2: WOU 11, MSUB 4
 
Unlike game one, the Wolves pounced first, taking a 3-0 lead on three hits in the bottom of the first. But MSUB rallied in the second, as Maycen O'Neal drew a leadoff walk, then Brittanee Fisher's double brought both of them into scoring position. Allie Hughes worked another full count, then hit an RBI single through the left side to put MSUB on the board. Putting pressure on WOU starter Jada Young, Hughes stole second and moved two runners into scoring position, then Kilee Imada worked a nine-pitch at-bat before she sent the 10^th over the fence in left field, putting MSUB up 4-3.
 
"Kilee came in at shortstop and is now getting to show off her range and her bat," McKinney said. "She did really well defensively this weekend and also came up with two big hits to give us the lead. She has been working hard for her opportunity and she has made the most of it."
 
Qualteri cruised through a quick bottom of the inning, then the neutralized a two-out triple to keep the score at 4-3 going into the third. Nicki Derrick relieved Young in the third and retired the 'Jackets on 10 pitches before the Wolves tied the game with a three-hit inning in the bottom of the third. Western Oregon would take a 6-4 lead in the fourth, ending Qualteri's day early and bringing Preslee Christensen on in relief. The Wolves would put another run on the board to lead 7-4.
 
After WOU put up two more runs in the bottom of the sixth, Jenna Kister took over with one out. The Wolves would take a 11-4 lead, giving the 'Jackets three more outs to rally. MSUB got something going with Marin Penney's one-out single, then Skyler Jenkins got aboard with two outs, yet the 'Jackets would strand both baserunners.
 
UP NEXT: The MSUB softball team makes its home debut next weekend against Western Washington on Saturday, March 26 at 1 p.m. Livestream and live stat links can be found on the softball team's schedule page on msubsports.com.