BILLINGS, Mont. – The Montana State University Billings softball team were victorious in a pair of close games against Central Washington,  earning a series victory after winning three of four games against the Wildcats in Great Northwest Athletic Conference play.
 
The Yellowjackets (11-16, 5-7 GNAC) guaranteed their first series win against the Wildcats (13-14, 4-4 GNAC) since 2015, finishing off the visitors in a pair of one-run games at Avitus Group Stadium. MSUB took game one 4-3, hitting a pair of home runs in the game. They followed that up with a come from behind 5-4 win, hitting a trio of home runs across the final three innings, including a walk-off slam from first baseman Jazlyn Kalehuawehe.
 
"It's always nice to get a series win on your first home games of the season," said Yellowjacket's head coach Lisa McKinney. "It's been almost a year since we've been able to play at home because of weather, and you could tell the girls we're ready to go. We played two different kinds of games today, one where we had to hold onto a close lead, and one where we needed to come from behind. Both were great games, and a great showcase for what we are capable of as a group."
 
Kalehuawehe added two home runs on the day, one in each game. The sophomore hit four total in the series against Central Washington, with two of those blasts being game deciding home runs.
 
GAME ONE: MSUB 4, CWU 3
 
Following two and a half scoreless innings of play, the Yellowjackets opened the scoring in the bottom of the third inning when Kalehuawehe homered to left center, scoring Teagan Seeton to give MSUB a 2-0 lead. While that advantage was quickly evened up after Brooke Jordan's two-run home run in the following frame, the 'Jackets found their way back into the lead in the bottom of the fourth. Shelby Martin homered to restore the Yellowjacket's control of the game, followed by Kilee Imada, who took advantage of an error in left field to score a run, giving MSUB a 4-2 lead. The Wildcats would threaten, scoring a run in the sixth inning and putting runners on first and second in the seventh. But Alyssa Etheridge would handle the pressure, preventing the tying run from crossing to extend the game any further as the Yellowjackets finished out a close battle.
 
"Our offense came ready to work, and found ways to answer back when Central scored," McKinney said. "Lyss and the defense behind her did a great job of keeping them off balance and off the bases."
 
Kalehuawehe went 2-3 in the game with a pair of RBIs. Behind her, Seeton, Martin, and Imada all went 1-3. Lauren Blaschak went 1-4 while playing excellent defense at shortstop, and hit the ball that would eventually score Imada in the fourth inning. Claire Bagnell was 1-2 while drawing a walk. Etheridge went a full seven innings, allowing eight hits and three runs, while striking out four.
 
GAME TWO: MSUB 5, CWU 4
 
Things looked to be going Central Washington's way early in the final game of the series. After the teams traded runs in the first inning, including another RBI for Kalehuawehe, a pair of RBI singles from Makenna King and Allie Thiessen would put the Wildcats up 4-1 in just the second inning. MSUB missed an opportunity with the bases loaded in the bottom of the second, and failed to get a base runner in the third, as Central Washington appeared to be in control of things.
 
Things began to swing in the opposite direction come the fourth inning, however. The Yellowjackets slowly began to chip at the Wildcats lead, scoring one run over the final four innings of play. After Lauren Blaschak poked a ball through the left side of the infield to score Payton Meyer, the score sat at 4-2 with three innings remaining. The next time up, MSUB's home run leader on the season Marin Penney hit an opposite field blast to right field, moving the gap to one. Then in the bottom of the sixth, Meyer led off the inning with another solo home run, tying the game up heading into the final inning.
 
Julia Qualteri, who responded after early struggles to throw four scoreless innings for MSUB, was able to throw one more, keeping things tied up for MSUB. That brought up Kalehuawehe once more, who punctuated her excellent series for the 'Jackets with her first walk-off hit in her career. Her fourth home run of the weekend went over the Jares Fence Co. Fence in right center, commencing the celebrations for the Yellowjackets.
 
"Julia pitched a phenomenal game in game two," said McKinney. "She kept the ball low and let her defense work behind her. She responded well, especially late in the game. We lived by the home run ball late, but the lineup showed some clutch hitting. And Jazzy's walk-off to end it was just special!"
 
Meyer went a perfect 3-3 with a double, scoring two runs with an RBI. Kalehuawehe was 1-4 with a pair of RBIs, batting in the 'Jacket's opening run on a groundout. Blaschak was 1-3 with a walk and a run, while Penney went 1-2 with a walk, earning a run and RBI on her home run. Makayla Stoker was 1-2, and Claire Bagnell was 1-3. Qualteri won her third game of the season, striking out four in the game and finishing the game with five scoreless innings.
 
THE BUZZ: Kalehuawehe was selected as the St. Vincent Healthcare Player of the Game… She was a combined 5-13 in the series, hitting four home runs and driving in seven runs…The Yellowjacket's have hit 23 home runs as team, top of the GNAC and 10 more than the next closest team.
 
UP NEXT: MSUB goes back on the road next week to participate in the Tournament of Champions in Turlock, California. Games are scheduled to take place between March 31 and April 2, with the 'Jackets opening the tournament with games on March 31 against Cal Poly Humboldt at 11:30 AM (12:30 PM MST) and hosts Stanislaus State at 4:30 PM (5:30 MST). The tournament central can be found here, with links to schedules, live stats, and tickets for the whole weekend.