DENVER, Colo. – The Montana State University Billings Yellowjacket baseball team (3-8) took game one in dominating fashion after taking down the MSU Denver Roadrunners (5-7) with a final score of 25-13.
HEAR FROM WADDOUPS:
"Our offense really stepped up today, the eight home runs really stands out I was really impressed with how good our situational hitting was. Up and down the lineup we had guys moving runners and taking very good two strike at bats. It was nice to see Betancourt continue to compete and attack the zone, and Wayment was solid out of the pen."
MSUB put up record braking numbers in their blowout win over MSU Denver after putting up 25 runs on 28 hits which is a new MSUB record for hits in a single game. They also broke the single game home run record with eight, and tied the single game doubles record with eight.
Kaden Kirshenbaum played a big part in this as he had two of the eight home runs, and two of the eight doubles as well.
The Yellowjacket offense got out to a hot start in the top of the first after
Zack Blaszak started a rally with a base hit up the middle. Following Blaszak was nobody else but
Jack Nehler that scored him on an RBI double to get the 'Jackets on the board. It didn't stop as they were able to scratch another run across after a SAC fly by
Kaden Kirshenbaum to give MSUB an early 2-0 lead.
MSU Denver quickly answered by scoring four runs in the bottom of the first, but their lead was diminished after the Yellowjackets added two more runs on a pair of doubles from
Brock Molenda and Blaszak to tie the game at four. The 'Jackets took the lead in the following inning thanks to a two RBI double from
Ryan Jeffrey.
From there, MSUB exploded on offense scoring seven runs in the fourth and fifth inning on seven hits. Four of their seven hits during the stretch included home runs from Blaszak, Kirshenbaum, and two from
Payton Flynn. The 'Jackets had extended their lead to nine but added four more in the bottom of the fifth to make it a 13-8 ballgame.
At this point the Yellowjackets had scored at least two runs in every single inning, and the top of the sixth was no different as they scored a pair of runs on a SAC fly from Jeffrey and a base hit from
Bodee Wright.
Jackson Betancourt ended his day throwing six complete innings including four scoreless innings with six strikeouts. Relieving Betancourt was familiar reliever
Sage Wayment who threw up a zero in the bottom of the seventh thanks to a pair of stellar defensive plays by Flynn and Blaszak.
The 'Jackets added 10 more runs in the final three innings putting their run total at 25 and their hits total at 28 which is a new single game MSUB record. They also broke the single game MSUB record for home runs with eight after Kirshenbaum hit his second of the game and Kaden Burtram and
Garrett Smith added their first home runs in a Yellowjacket uniform. Wayment made quick work in the eighth going three up three down and was relieved by
Lance Schaaf to close out the bottom of the ninth. The Roadrunners were able to scrape a few runs across capitalizing on Yellowjacket errors in the ninth but the 'Jackets closed the door with a 25-13 victory.
HEAR FROM WADDOUPS:
"Our lineup just produced from top to bottom, having the bottom portion of the lineup be as tough as they were will only make our team stronger. It was great to get continued production off the bench from
Kaden Bertram and
Garrett Smith coming in late in the game and hitting their first home runs for MSUB."
HIGHLIGHT PERFORMANCES:
Zack Blaszak – 4-6, 2 R, 3 RBI, 2 2B, 1 HR
Payton Flynn – 4-6, 4 R, 5 RBI, 2 HR
Ryan Jeffrey – 3-6, 3 R, 4 RBI, 1 HR
Jack Nehler – 3-4, 3 R, 1 RBI, 2 2B
Jackson Betancourt – 6.0 IP, 6 K, Win
Sage Wayment – 2.0 IP, 0 ER, 2 K
THE BUZZ:
Kaden Kirshenbaum was named Intermountain Health Player of the Game after going 5-5 from the plate with four runs, four RBIs, two home runs, two doubles, and a walk!
UP NEXT: The Montana State University Billings Yellowjacket baseball team will have a double header tomorrow for game two and three vs MSU Denver with first pitch starting at noon.
