Pueblo, Colo. – The Montana State University Billings Yellowjacket baseball team (5-11) drew a split on day one of their two-day double header. MSUB fell 12-4 in game one to #15 CSU Pueblo Thunderwolves (10-4) but bounced back with a 15-8 victory in game two.
After falling 12-4 in the opening game of the series, the Yellowjacket offense was on full display for game two. The 'Jackets had a winning combination of quality pitching outings from
Cole Bertram and
Sage Wayment paired with an impressive offensive performance throughout the whole lineup.
Ryan Jeffrey,
Zack Blaszak, and
Payton Flynn led the way in game two, combining for nine hits, eight RBIs, and six runs. MSUB put up 15 runs and 16 hits against the #15 Thunderwolves and held them to just one run in the final four innings to take home the victory.
HEAR FROM WADDOUPS: "I was proud of how our guys bounced back after a tough loss in the first game. It showed some grit and resilience being able to compete and come out on top in game two. Getting RBIs from seven different guys in the lineup makes us tough to pitch against.
Ryan Jeffrey had a really great day for us and had multiple quality at bats in two out situations."
GAME 1: MSUB 4, CSUP 12
The Thunderwolves came out hot in game one and proved why they are one of the top teams in the nation after putting up 12 runs in the seven-inning contest. This was behind Christian Castaneda the reigning national Player of the Week who went 2-3 with three RBIs for the Thunderwolves. The Yellowjackets, to no surprise, found their success from the long ball as they scored two of their four runs on solo bombs from
Kaden Kirshenbaum and
Zack Blaszak. The 'Jackets other two runs came in the top of the seventh inning via double by
Bodee Wright, scoring
Ryan Jeffrey, and Wright would later score on an RBI groundout from
Jack Nehler.
Jackson Betancourt made his fifth start of the year going 3.0 innings pitched with one strikeout and was relieved by
Zane Baltz. Baltz had one of his best appearances of the season throwing 2.0 innings for the Yellowjackets with four strikeouts while allowing just one hit and two earned runs. Closing it out on the bump for the 'Jackets was
Cole Bakker in his fifth appearance of the season. Baltz threw the final inning of the seven-inning contest allowing three eared runs and added his fourth strikeout of the season.
GAME 2: MSUB 15, CSUP 8
After falling in game one, the Yellowjackets came out in game two with vengeance. In the top of the first inning
Bodee Wright got the 'Jackets on the board after a base hit and would come around to score on a base hit from
Jack Nehler. They would tack on two more after a two out double from
James Anderson. MSUB would strike again in the second after a home run from
Ryan Jeffrey, an RBI base hit from
Payton Flynn, and a two RBI triple from
Kaden Kirshenbaum to take an early 7-1 lead.
Jake Finkelstein made the start for the Yellowjackets and made quick work in the first three innings. Finkelstein minimized by allowing just one run in the first and third inning and shutting out the Thunderwolves lineup in the second frame with two strikeouts at this point in the game. The MSUB offense piled more on in the fourth after a Wright walk and a Blaszak triple to bring him around to score followed by a SAC fly from Garret Smith to give the 'Jackets a 9-2 lead.
More action would occur in the fourth and fifth inning as the Yellowjackets scraped another run across in the top of the fourth on an RBI single by Jeffrey to score
Josh Mapel. The Thunderwolves would quickly respond and tacked on three in the bottom of the fourth and two in the fifth. Finkelstein exited after the fifth and finished his day with 5.0 innings pitched, two strikeouts, and allowed seven runs. First out of the pen was
Cole Bertram, making his fourth appearance of the season and first of this series.
The Yellowjackets didn't stop there as they put on five more runs in the final three innings on a Jeffrey single that scored Mapel, a two RBI double from Blaszak, a single by
Garrett Smith, and a bases loaded walk from Jeffrey to put the 'Jackets back ahead by seven. Bertram was relieved in the bottom of the eighth by
Sage Wayment but not before he threw an impressive 2.2 innings with three strikeouts while allowing just three hits and one earned run. Wayment did what he does and went 1.1 innings to close it out, allowing just one hit, zero earned runs, and had one strikeout to help the 'Jackets take home the 15-8 victory.
HEAR FROM WADDOUPS:
"Bertram did a fantastic job coming out of the pen, he shut down their momentum in the middle innings and had a quality outing for us. Sage just came in and pounded the zone like he always does and finished the game for us. I was proud of how
Garrett Smith stepped in and produced for us after Nehler got hit in the head and played well given the unfortunate circumstances. Garrett had a few big RBIs for us in the middle innings and was the boost we needed with a "next man up" mentality."
HIGHLIGHT PERFORMANCES
GAME 1:
Zack Blaszak – 3-4, 1 RBI, 1 R, HR
Zane Baltz – 2.0 IP, 1 H, 4 K
James Anderson – 1-3, 2B
Ryan Jeffrey – 1-3, 1 R
GAME 2:
Cole Bertram – 2.2 IP, 3 K, 3 H, 1 ER
Sage Wayment – 1.1 IP, 1 K, 1 H, 0 ER
Bodee Wright – 2-4, 4 R, 3B
Zack Blaszak – 3-5, 3 RBI, 3 R, 2 2B, 3B
Payton Flynn – 3-6, 1 RBI, 1 R
THE BUZZ
GAME 1: Kaden Kirshenbaum was named Intermountain Health Player of the Game after going a perfect 3-3 from the plate with one RBI, one run, a double, and another home run!
GAME 2: Ryan Jeffrey was named Intermountain Health Player of the Game after going 3-4 from the plate with four RBIs, two runs, and a home run!
UP NEXT: The Montana State University Billings Yellowjacket baseball team returns to Rawlings Field in Pueblo, CO for another double header vs the Thunderwolves with first pitch starting at noon.
