BILLINGS, Mont. – The Montana State University Billings baseball team concluded their non-conference schedule for the regular season by sealing a series win over Colorado Christian, taking both legs of a doubleheader Saturday.
 
The Yellowjackets (14-18, 5-9 GNAC) won in very different ways over the Cougars (10-22-1, 6-10 RMAC). MSUB took a comfortable victory in game one, winning 15-9 before winning 7-6 in the second game due to the walk off heroics of sophomore Mitch Winter.
 
"We continued to put the ball in play in both games," said Yellowjacket's head coach Derek Waddoups. "We just continued to take quality at bats, making solid contact. We've got a deep group who can drive the baseball for both power and contact, and our pitchers set us up for success this weekend."
 
Winter had a standout day in both games for the 'Jackets. He kicked off the day by going 4-5 in the opener, scoring two runs and hitting four RBIs in the game. Winter followed that up with his clutch hit in game two, sending a ball deep to right center for a walk off home run, finishing 1-3 with three RBIs, including a sac fly.
 
"I just approached every at bat the same, stayed calm, and did my thing," said Winter. "I didn't look at that last at bat in game two as a walk off attempt, I just wanted to get on base. I saw the scouting report and knew he was throwing curveballs, so I just sat waiting for it and that's what I got."
 
The two wins, and three of four against Colorado Christian helps to get some momentum going for the Yellowjackets, as they prepare to march into the second half of Great Northwest Athletic Conference play.
 
"I think this will help our guys relax a little, and just play the game," Waddoups said. "We want our guys to have fun out there. We're a talented group that just wants to do it for the team so much that sometimes we can get in our own way. I love how we match up against the conference, especially with how our pitching staff has rounded into form the last couple of weekends. I think we have a real opportunity to make some noise the rest of the way."
 
"I think we're in a good place," said Winter. We scored a lot of runs this weekend; our team chemistry is great. We're really having a fun time out there."
 
Game 1: MSUB 15, CCU 9
 
In similar fashion to Friday's barnburner, the Yellowjacket's offense was clicking on all cylinders in game one. MSUB scored 15 runs, ten of which came in the first three innings, and totaled 19 hits in a dominant victory. The game opened in close fashion, with the 'Jackets scoring three runs in the first inning after loading the bases, before the Cougars jumped out to a 4-3 advantage in the second inning. The Yellowjacket's quickly rightened the ship however, with Winter tying the game at four in the bottom of the second before a six run third inning would put MSUB ahead for the rest of the game.
 
Along with Winter's four hits, Hayden Foltz went 4-6 in the game, finishing with two runs and an RBI. James Anderson went 3-5, with three runs, and two RBIs, including a solo home run he crushed in the sixth inning. Payton Flynn and Carson Green each had two hits in the game, with Green totaling three runs, two steals, and an RBI, while Zack Blaszak also picked up a steal, reaching base on a single and a pair of walks. Bodee Wright punctuated the third inning explosion from the Yellowjackets when he tripled down to left center, scoring two runs and giving MSUB a five-run lead.
 
On the mound, the Yellowjackets combined for a successful game. Ty Wilson opened the game with four solid innings of work, allowing four hits with just one of his five runs allowed being earned. He was replaced by Tyler Child, who picked up his first collegiate win, before Daniel Naughten helped control the final innings, throwing 3.2 and striking out three, allowing just one hit and two runs.
 
"Ty gave us a good start, and Dan was lights out coming out of the pen for us," Waddoups said. "We hit a lot of line drives, which created a lot of success for us."
 
Game 2: MSUB 7, CCU 6
 
MSUB controlled much of game two, despite the dramatic finish. Despite allowing two runs in the opening frame, Andy Evans pitched an excellent start for the Yellowjackets. The sophomore matched his career high in strikeouts with eight, continually getting ahead in counts and controlling the plate in the game. And the Yellowjacket's bats supported him. The 'Jackets took the lead in the third inning with an RBI hit from Jack Nehler, followed by Carson Green scoring on a wild pitch and Winter driving home Nehler on a sac fly. They would add to their total again in the fifth with a Parker Bleggi single, and the sixth with another sac fly, this time from Keegan Weston.
 
But the Cougars made things interesting in the final frame. Down 5-2, Luke Thompson hit an RBI single to put two men on, before Gabe Ramos cleared the bases with a three-run home run, putting Colorado Christian up 6-5. Needing to regroup and rally, the Yellowjackets did just that. They continued to put the ball in play, with Carson Green reaching on an error before Winter sent a ball to right center, a no doubter that flipped the mood in Dehler Park 180 degrees and gave the Yellowjackets the win.
 
"Andy threw a fantastic game," said Waddoups. "They got a few off him late, but he really owned things on the mound. We had different guys step up throughout the game, and Mitch obviously came up huge. He's swinging the bat so well right now, and when he's doing that for us, he's a game changing bat."
 
Payton Flynn went a perfect 3-3 in game two, scoring on run. Nehler went 2-4 with a run and RBI, while Green scored three runs in the game. Andrew Astin went 1-3, and Parker Bleggi was 1-4. Jake Finkelstein was credited with the win, his second of the season, after entering in for the final out in the top of the seventh.
 
THE BUZZ: Winter was selected as the St. Vincent Healthcare Player of the Day… His walk off hit was the first of the season for the Yellowjackets, who had four last season… Green stole three bases on the day, one in game one and two in the final game… The Yellowjackets are 9-2 all-time against Colorado Christian, hosting the Cougars for the first time since 2008.
 
UP NEXT: The Yellowjackets return to GNAC play next week, when they face off against Northwest Nazarene University in two doubleheaders on April 14-15 at Dehler Park. First pitch for the opening game is scheduled for 1 PM on the 14, with live video available here and live statistics available here.