BILLINGS, Mont. – A trip to the Great Northwest Athletic Conference Championships hangs in the balance on the final weekend of regular-season play for the Montana State University Billings baseball team, which hosts Central Washington University in a four-game series at Dehler Park.
 
This Week's Schedule
Thursday, May 5 – 1 p.m. doubleheader
Friday, May 6 – 4 p.m. doubleheader – Senior Day
 
Live video will be available online here, and live statistics will be available online here. Tickets are $5 for general admission, with free admittance for MSUB students and staff, and children in sixth grade or under. Tickets may be purchased at the gate.
 
PLAYOFF PICTURE: With four games left in the regular season, MSUB (22-24, 13-15 GNAC) is currently tied with Saint Martin's (18-27, 13-15) for third place in the conference standings. The Yellowjackets own the tiebreaker for the third and final conference tournament spot over the Saints, by virtue of taking the season series between the teams 5-3. The Yellowjackets' magic number entering the week is 4, with the number decreasing with each MSUB victory or SMU loss.
 
The Saints begin a four-game series at home against Western Oregon with a doubleheader on Wednesday at 1 p.m. (Pacific). The series, which has been structured around a poor weather forecast on the West Coast, will conclude on Saturday with another 1 p.m. doubleheader.
 
The GNAC Championships are scheduled for May 19-20 at Western Oregon University in Monmouth, Ore., with the tournament champion earning the conference's automatic berth into the NCAA Division II West Region Championships.
 
The 'Jackets return to Billings for their final home games of the season after dropping all four games against Northwest Nazarene in Nampa, Idaho last week. The Yellowjackets kept it close in each game, putting up a valiant effort, but couldn't find a way to steal a win from the first-place Nighthawks.
 
"We are excited to back at home for our final GNAC regular season games," said Yellowjacket head coach Derek Waddoups. "Central Washington is a very offensive club. Our pitchers are excited for the challenge and were really focused on preparation at practice this week. We have a very resilient group and I look forward to our team bouncing back this weekend at home."
 
The first meeting between these teams in Ellensburg this season was a high-scoring offensive affair. Each team had a game where it scored more than 20 runs on their way to scoring a combined 95 runs across the series. The 'Jackets managed to come out ahead in that series winning three of four games, a result they'll be hoping to replicate again at home.
 
"Our first series was very offensive," said Waddoups. "We'll look to continue our offensive approach while limiting the freebies we give them. They have some outstanding players, but I really like how we match up with them. It will be fun to watch our guys just go out and compete on our home field this weekend for our seniors that have given so much to our program."
 
SENIOR DAY: Friday's doubleheader will be senior day for seven Yellowjacket student athletes, including Dylan Barkley, Matthew Houlihan, PJ Ausmus, Dominick Buso, Connor Redmond, Brooks Zimmer, and Justin Lutz. The pregame ceremony honoring the graduating players will begin at approximately 11:40 a.m. and will be streamed live as part of the broadcast.
 
JUSTIN LUTZ: Lutz, a catcher/outfielder for the 'Jackets, came to the program from Spokane Falls Community College. After redshirting in 2020, Lutz played in 30 games during the 2021 season, hitting five home runs and 22 RBIs while collecting a GNAC Player of the Week award. This season, Lutz has appeared 25 times, collecting eight RBIs in those games. Going into this weekend, Lutz has a career .255 batting average as a Yellowjacket, with five home runs and 30 RBIs.
 
DOMINICK BUSO: Buso transferred into MSUB after beginning his career at San Diego Mesa College. After appearing in five games in two years, Buso has had a massive breakout season as a senior, cementing himself in the 'Jackets outfield and appearing in 37 games, 33 of those as a starter. Dominick was recognized during the 2022 Buzzie Awards as the Breakout Player of the Year for his efforts this season. Buso has a career .270 average, with one home run and 16 RBIs all collected in his senior year.
 
TYLER ELLIOTT: Elliott began his college career at Mt. Hood Community College before making his way to MSUB. Elliott has been a lead reliever for the Yellowjackets since he began pitching for them in 2020. Currently Elliott is in the midst of his best season in blue and yellow, with a 5.28 ERA, four wins, and two saves. Through three seasons, the fiery reliever owns an 8.27 career ERA through 53.1 innings thrown and has earned a 6-3 record. His four career saves rank ninth all time for MSUB.
 
CONNOR REDMOND: After starting his career at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Redmond transferred to MSUB and redshirted during the 2020 season. In his 2021 debut season, Redmond led the 'Jackets in innings pitched and victories and has been a staple of the 'Jackets rotation again in 2022. Going into this weekend, Redmond has a career 5-8 record, with a 7.73 ERA in 73.1 innings thrown as a 'Jacket.
 
MATTHEW HOULIHAN: After signing with the Yellowjackets from Charles M. Russell High School in Great Falls, Mont., Houlihan redshirted in the 2019 season before making his debut in 2020. Houlihan has been a starter in three seasons for the Yellowjackets and has collected two GNAC Pitcher of the Week awards in his career. Houlihan has made 26 appearances for the Yellowjackets, with 24 starts, ninth most in MSUB history. He has an 8-9 record and has accumulated 107 innings, holding a 5.97 career ERA. Houlihan's 114 career strikeouts rank him tied for ninth in program history.
 
PJ AUSMUS: From Parker, Colo., Ausmus joined the Yellowjackets from Legend High School, making appearances in four seasons from 2019-2022. Ausmus has featured around the infield for the 'Jackets in his career, racking up 56 appearances. Ausmus has enjoyed a career year this season for MSUB, hitting .324 and collecting 12 RBIs. Going into the Central Washington games, Ausmus has a career .263 batting average, and has notched 15 RBIs for the Yellowjackets.


BROOKS ZIMMER: A hometown kid from Senior High School, Zimmer made his debut during the 2019 season where he became the 'Jackets closer as a true freshman, earning six saves during a season in which the Yellowjackets won the GNAC regular season title and their first ever GNAC tournament crown. He continued to make appearances during the 2021 and 2022 seasons, alternating between being a starter and a reliever. Zimmer owns a career 8.72 ERA in 27 appearances with 53.2 innings pitched. His six career saves rank him tied for fourth in Yellowjackets history.
 
DYLAN BARKLEY: Barkley has been a four-year starting pitcher for the Yellowjackets since he signed out of Missoula Sentinel. After redshirting in 2018, Barkley went on to appear in 40 games, 37 of them as the starting pitcher. A consistent presence at the top of the MSUB rotation, Barkley has a career 5.81 ERA, and owns a 13-10 record as a pitcher. Barkley ends his Yellowjacket career with his name across the school record books. Going into his final start at home, Barkley has started the third most games in program history with 35. His 13 wins rank fourth all time for MSUB, and he also ranks fifth in career innings (187.1) and fourth in strikeouts (180).
 

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Central Washington University Wildcats
2022 Record: 13-32 (7-21 GNAC)
Head Coach: Desi Storey (31st season)
First Series: MSUB 3, CWU 1 (April 1-2 in Ellensburg, WA)
 
Central Washington University enter this series fifth in the GNAC standings heading into the final weekend of the regular season, and has been eliminated from postseason contention. The Wildcats faced off against Saint Martin's in their previous series, dropping three of four against the Saints.
 
CWU currently has one of the top offenses in the GNAC, with their games often turning into high scoring battles. The team ranks first in the conference in batting average, and second in runs. There are dangerous hitters everywhere throughout the Wildcat lineup. Zach Berryman and Adam Fahsel rank first and second in batting average for the entire GNAC, hitting .353 and .347, respectively. Tyler McClain ranks just behind them in sixth with an average of .325. Austin Ohland ranks as one of the GNAC's best power bats, with nine home run and a GNAC-leading 48 RBIs.
 
Pitching wise, the Wildcats have allowed the most runs in the GNAC. Eighteen different players have pitched for CWU this year, with eight different players starting a game on the mound. The Wildcats can be unpredictable in how they deploy their pitchers. Ryan Arredondo is the team's leading starter, with 10 games started and a 5.09 ERA while collecting a 4-1 record. In relief, Brayden Hirai has saved three games for Central Washington, with Jake Bradley and Riley Wingerson each collecting a save apiece.
 
The Series: MSUB has a 61-55 record all-time against CWU. The Yellowjackets have won three consecutive games against the Wildcats.