Brittanee Fisher went 4-for-6 and the defense hung for several innings in game two until Chaminade broke through in the sixth.
 
TURLOCK, Calif. – Playing in their first doubleheader at Stanislaus State's Tournament of Champions, the Montana State University Billings softball team fell in both games on Friday.
 
The Yellowjackets (10-22, 4-8 Great Northwest Athletic Conference) hung with Cal State San Bernardino for four innings before falling 6-1, then took a 4-0 loss to Chaminade later that evening.
 
Brittanee Fisher led the way for the 'Jackets, going 4-for-6 across both games and was responsible for MSUB's lone run in game one with an RBI single that brought fellow senior Allie Hughes home from second base. Jazlyn Kalehuawehe went 2-for-4 across both games, plus junior right-handed pitcher Shelby Martin pitched her first complete game of the year in game two against Chaminade with a two-strikeout, two-walk outing – all while giving up two earned runs on nine hits.
 
Game 1: Cal State San Bernardino 6, MSUB 1
 
The Yellowjackets kept pace with the Cal State San Bernardino Yotes 2-1 through four innings, yet three errors to the Yotes' zero would doom the 'Jacket as they lost 6-1 in game one.
 
"We came out a little flat and had a few too many errors on defense," MSUB head coach Lisa McKinney said. "Jenna Kister threw well on the mound and got us good results while mixing all of her pitches well today. Brittanee Fisher had a great day at the plate; she found a way on base each time and she was seeing the ball well by adjusting to the speed changes at each at-bat."
 
MSUB got on the board in the fourth inning, as Allie Hughes' leadoff double led to an RBI single from Fisher to make the score 2-1, CSUEB. Jazlyn Kalehuawehe would move Fisher to second, then Marin Penney would corner reliever Brooklyn Blackmon with two outs on a fielder's choice in that inning to wrap up the offensive production for MSUB in the inning.
 
"Allie came up with a big lead-off double for us in the fourth to help score our lone run," McKinney said.
 
The Yotes scored four runs in response in the bottom of the fourth inning. MSUB would put two runners on in the top of the sixth, as Maycen O'Neal walked and Fisher singled to move her into scoring position, but that would be the closest the 'Jackets came to scoring more runs.
 
Jenna Kister would be credited with the loss in her second complete game of the year, in which she struck out five batters and gave up four earned runs on 10 hits. CSUSB reliever Brooklyn Blackmon got the win after pitching 3.2 innings, striking out three batters and giving up only two hits.
 
Game 2: Chaminade 4, MSUB 0
 
In game two, the Yellowjackets hung in a 1-0 game until the Chaminade Silverswords plated three runs in the final two innings. The defense would keep MSUB in the thick of things, as Brie Frazier had an impressive outfield assist in the third inning and Martin would hold the Silverswords to a 1-0 advantage for three-straight innings until the Silverswords broke through in the fifth inning.
 
"Shelby pitched well, found ways to get outs and worked quickly while relying on her defense," McKinney said.
 
Hughes doubled in her second-straight game in the first inning, but the Yellowjackets would strand her in scoring position. In the third inning, Frazier's outfield assist to get Chaminade's leadoff runner from trying to turn a single into a double would rally the 'Jackets.
 
"Brie Frazier came up with an outfield assist to keep a leadoff single from getting a double, which was a great start to the third inning defensively. We got more hits in game two and the balls were starting to find more holes. We needed to get a couple more clutch hits with runners in scoring position, but we did hit the ball well at people."
 
After the Silverswords took a 4-0 lead in the bottom of the sixth, the 'Jackets would put multiple runners aboard in the seventh, as O'Neal's leadoff single and Fisher's single brought both runners into scoring position. Jazlyn Kalehuawehe singled to move pinch-runners Sydney Norwood and Shelby Marquardt into scoring position loaded the bases, yet the 'Jackets would strand those runners in the top of the seventh.
 
"Jazzy came in late in the game and had a hard hit to load the bases," McKinney said. "She did well coming off the bench and fielding her pitch to hit."
 
Martin (0-3) would be credited with the loss in her first complete game of the season, striking out two batters and only allowing two earned runs on nine hits. Chaminade's Taylor Genera would pitch her ninth complete game of the season in the win, allowing zero runs on six hits while striking out two batters.
 
THE BUZZ: Brittanee Fisher was named the St. Vincent Healthcare Player of the Day for going 4-for-6 across both games with 1 RBI.
 
UP NEXT: MSUB will play Hawai'i Pacific at 10:30 a.m. local time, then Cal State East Bay at 2 p.m. Live stats will only be available for the first game; a link to that can be found at the softball team's schedule page at msubsports.com.