BILLINGS, Mont. – The Montana State University Billings Yellowjacket baseball team (9-19, 3-7 GNAC) split on the day against the Central Washington Wildcats (12-12, 7-3 GNAC). The Yellowjackets took a commanding 8-3 victory in game one of the series and lost 9-6 to the Wildcats in an extra-inning thriller.
 
Jackson Betancourt led the way on the bump for the Yellowjackets in the opening game of the series, picking up his third win of the series after shoving seven complete innings with eight punchouts. Ryan Jeffrey headed the charge on offense in game one, posting three hits and accounting for half of the 'Jackets runs.
 
HEAR FROM WADDOUPS: "Betancourt was outstanding today and really commanded game one. I was just really impressed with how our guys competed offensively. It was great to have Nehler back in the lineup and awesome to see the production he gave us in his first game back."
 
GAME 1: MSUB 8, CWU 3
The opening game of the series was a dominant performance from the Yellowjackets, featuring a stellar pitching performance from Betancourt and Sage Wayment combined with a 15 hit, eight run performance from the MSUB offense.
 
The 'Jackets got on the board early after Bodee Wright and Zack Blaszak leaded things off with back-to-back base hits. The one-two punch at the top of the lineup would later come around to score via fielders' choice and a sacrifice fly to give MSUB the early 2-0 lead. The Yellowjackets were held at bay until the fifth, sixth, and seventh inning where they tacked on six more runs. During the middle inning blunder, the 'Jackets scored three in the fifth after an RBI double from Ryan Jeffrey, a wild pitch that scored Payton Flynn, and an RBI single from Jarret Elmer. Jeffrey scratched two more across in the sixth after a two RBI base hit and Elmer added the insurance in the seventh via solo home run.
 
After six scoreless innings from Betancourt, the Wildcats scored their only three runs of the game in the top of the seventh inning. Betancourt made his exit after completing the inning but not before posting seven innings pitched with eight strikeouts while allowing just three earned runs, seven hits, and two walks. Sage Wayment came out of the pen looking to close out the final two innings, closing the door was what he did as he went two complete innings with one strikeout while allowing zero runs, zero hits, zero walks, and helping Betancourt earn his third win of the season.
 
GAME 2: MSUB 6, CWU 9
The second game on the day was a different story as it was a true back-and-forth ballgame, featuring three ties and three lead changes with the Wildcats edging the 'Jackets in extra-innings.
 
Central got ahead to an early 3-0 lead in the first two innings of play and held the 'Jackets scoreless through three complete innings. MSUB ended the shutout in the bottom of the fourth inning after Brock Molenda scored on a passed ball followed by a Blaszak RBI single, and Wright scoring on a fielder's choice to notch up the game at three apiece.
 
The Yellowjackets then took the lead in the fifth inning due to a Molenda RBI base hit, scoring Jeffrey to give the 'Jackets the edge. Central Washington quickly answered with two in the sixth and a solo run in the following inning and headed into the final frame with a 6-4 lead.
 
MSUB did not go down without a fight, posting two runs in the bottom of the seventh to send the game into extras. With the game on the line the Yellowjackets loaded the bases and Nate May did the rest, hitting a clutch two RBI base hit to tie the game at 6-6. Heartbreak occurred in the top of the eighth as CWU star Austin Ohland hit a three-run home run to lead the Wildcats to an extra-inning 9-6 victory.
 
Jake Finkelstein made the start for the Yellowjackets and went 1.2 innings before he was quickly relieved by Brian Baker. Baker did a majority of the heavy lifting in the eight-inning matchup, throwing 3.1 innings with four strikeouts while allowing just two earned runs, three hits, and two walks. Beau Burnett came into pitch following Baker and threw two complete innings with one strikeout while allowing just one earned run and three hits. In his second appearance of the day, Sage Wayment rounded it out for the 'Jackets in game two, throwing the final inning and collecting two strikeouts.
 
HEAR FROM WADDOUPS: "We let game two get away from us late in the game, we had opportunities early to produce runs and missed out on some scoring opportunities. Garza did a great job on the bump for them and pitched out of trouble really well. With that being said, I just loved how our guys competed the whole day."
 
KEY PERFORMANCES
GAME 1:
Ryan Jeffrey – 3-4, 3 RBI, R, 2B, BB
Jarret Elmer – 2-4, 2 RBI, R, HR
Jack Nehler – 3-5, 2 R, 2B
Payton Flynn – 2-5, 2 R, 2B
Sage Wayment – 2.0 IP, 1 K, 0 ER, 0 H, 0 BB
GAME 2:
Brock Molenda – 2-4, RBI, R
Bodee Wright – 2-4, RBI, R, BB, SB
Zack Blaszak – 2-5, RBI
Brian Baker – 3.1 IP, 4 K, 2 ER
Beau Burnett – 2.0 IP, 1 ER
 
THE BUZZ: Jackson Betancourt was named Intermountain Health Player of the day after collecting a win in the opening game of the series. Betancourt went seven complete innings with eight strikeouts while allowing just three earned runs, seven hits, and two walks.
 
UP NEXT: The Montana State University Billings Yellowjacket baseball team is back at it again tomorrow for game three and four vs Central Washington, with first pitch set to start at 11 AM.