BILLINGS, Mont. – The Montana State University Billings softball team concluded their season Sunday against Simon Fraser University, going 1-1 and coming just short of a bid in the GNAC Championships on the final day of Great Northwest Athletic Conference play.
 
The Yellowjackets (18-28, 10-14 GNAC) picked up a thrilling 6-4 walk-off victory over the Red Leafs (11-36, 5-19 GNAC) in game one, before falling 10-5 to end their season.
 
"Overall, this was one of the best seasons we've had in a while," said Yellowjackets coach Lisa McKinney. "We were right where we wanted to be with a chance for GNAC's in our hands. We won more series this year, and were in it right up until the end. This was a great learning lesson and steppingstone for our returning players."
 
The Yellowjackets had five seniors play their final games in blue and gold in front of their home crowd. Alyssa Etheridge, Julia Qualteri, Shelby Marquardt, Shelby Martin, and Maycen O'Neal were honored pregame, and each made important contributions in their final games.
 
"This senior class helped our mentality," said McKinney. "They came out and left it all out on the field. They were a big reason as to why we were in this position coming into the final day, and helped show others that we were capable of making the postseason. Their contributions to the program throughout their times at MSUB will not be forgotten, and we appreciate everything they gave us."
 
Game 1: MSUB 6, SFU 4
 
Little separated the two teams for much of game one, where the teams battled back and forth for the entirety of the game. The Red Leafs struck first in the game when Caitlin Zagari's RBI groundout scored the first run of the game in the top of the second inning, but Lauren Blaschak responded for MSUB with an RBI double, tying the game at 1-1 after three innings played. The Yellowjackets would take their first lead of the game in the bottom of the fifth inning when Shelby Martin sent a ball to deep centerfield, giving MSUB a 2-1 lead. That advantage would disappear in the top of the sixth when an RBI double from Janique Balcaen would even things up once more.
 
That would set up a highly contested seventh inning where the two teams committed costly errors. Simon Fraser scored two runs in the inning on a throwing error to first base, sending both runners home when the ball went out of play and putting a runner on third. But Alyssa Etheridge would escape the inning with no more runs, and the Yellowjackets would benefit from a nearly identical error in the bottom of the second, scoring two runners of their own when a throwing error to first sent the ball out of play. That set Jazlyn Kalehuawehe up with a runner on second, and with the count sitting at 2-2, Kalehuawehe sent a drive deep to left center to give the Yellowjackets a crucial walk-off victory and keep their GNAC playoff hopes alive.
 
"It took us a little while for us to get going," McKinney said. "But we did a good job of finding a way to win. We had a few defensive miscues, but our offense did a good job late of making up for it."
 
Etheridge struck out seven batters in the game, allowing eight hits and four runs (two earned) in her winning effort. Kalehuawehe was 1-4 in the game, topping the Yellowjackets lineup with two RBIs. Blaschak was 2-4 with a run and an RBI, while Martin was 1-3 with an RBI. Maycen O'Neal was 2-3 in the game, and Teagan Seeton went 3-4 in the game. Shelby Marquardt was 1-3 with a run.
 
Game 2: MSUB 5, SFU 10
 
With a Yellowjacket berth in the GNAC Championships on the line, the Red Leafs came out ready to play spoiler. Simon Fraser tacked on three runs in the top of the third inning after a scoreless opening two innings to take the lead. The Yellowjackets would respond in kind though, with Lauren Blaschak's two-run home run putting MSUB on the board, and Jazlyn Kalehuawehe executed the squeeze play perfectly to plate the tying run in Teagan Seeton. The tie wouldn't last long though, when Simon Fraser added six runs in the fourth inning, taking a 9-3 lead. The Yellowjackets showed the beginnings of a rally in multiple innings, with Kilee Imada collecting an RBI single in the fifth inning, Maycen O'Neal hitting a solo home run in the sixth, and the team loading the bases in the final inning. But it wouldn't be enough for the 'Jackets, who fell 10-5, ending their season just short of a playoff berth.
 
Seeton went 3-4 in the game with two runs and two steals. Blaschak was 2-4 with a home run, two RBIs, and a steal, while O'Neal was 1-4 with her solo home run. Kilee Imada was 2-4 with an RBI, and Shelby Martin was 2-2 with a walk. Julia Qualteri pitched four innings, striking out four batters, while Alyssa Etheridge pitched the final three innings, striking out four and allowing just one run on three hits.
 
"We fought hard until the end," said McKinney. "Unfortunately, their one big inning was just too much for us to overcome. I'm proud of the way this group battled, we fought hard until the end."
 
THE BUZZ: The Yellowjackets five seniors were all honored with the St. Vincent Healthcare Players of the Day… Teagan Seeton finished with the top batting average on the Yellowjackets this season, hitting .333… Marin Penney finished with 12 home runs in the regular season, most in the GNAC, and led MSUB in RBIs with 25… Etheridge lowered her season ERA to 2.91, finishing eighth in the GNAC for ERA and fourth in strikeouts with 131.