BILLINGS, Mont. – The Montana State University Billings softball team concluded it's series against conference foe Western Washington, falling twice on the day despite an impressive showing of power in Great Northwest Athletic Conference play.
 
The Yellowjackets (8-31-1, 1-15 GNAC) tied a program record in the first game of the day, hitting five home runs in the opening game of the day against the #11 Vikings (34-4, 14-2). The 'Jackets were unable to pick up the victory though, falling 11-8 before battling hard in the second game, but once again ending up on the wrong side of the scoresheet with a 9-5 defeat.
 
Game One: WWU 11, MSUB 8
 
Both teams found success with the long ball throughout the first game of the day, combining to hit ten home runs in the game. While the Vikings would strike first with a pair of blasts in the top of the first inning, MSUB would respond with three home runs in four at bats to start the bottom of the second, with Jazlyn Kalehuawehe, Marin Penney, and Kaylin Galvin going yard, and Claire Bagnell just missing out on a homer with a double that hit off the top of the fence to give the Yellowjackets a 4-3 lead over the nationally ranked visitors. But that lead would be short lived, with a three-run homer from the Vikings in the top of the third putting Western back on top, before a pair of two run shots the following inning would put the 'Jackets behind 10-4. MSUB would continue to find success at the plate, highlighted by back-t0-back home runs from Lauren Blaschak and Teagan Seeton in the bottom of the fourth inning, but a RBI bunt from Alexis Tovar would be their only other source of runs in the game, as MSUB would be unable to fully close the gap, falling short against Western Washington.
 
Kalehuawehe batted 3-4 in the game with a run and an RBI, while Galvin went 2-4 with an RBI and two runs. Each of Penney, Blaschak, and Seeton finished with their home run as their only hit, with Penney and Blaschak adding two RBIs and a run, while Seeton had one of each. Tovar was 1-3 with her RBI, and Bagnell finished 1-4 in the game.
 
Game Two: WWU 9, MSUB 5
 
Following the theme of the weekend for the games, Western Washington would be the first team on the scoreboard once more, plating two runs in the opening inning before a two-run homer in the top of the third would put them up 4-0, while MSUB was yet to find a hit in the game. But the Yellowjackets would begin to slowly chip into the Viking's advantage with Marin Penney's solo home run in the third inning, before her second consecutive solo blast in the fifth would be the spark the Yellowjackets needed to begin a rally. Shortly following Penney's second homer, Payton Meyer would hit a ball off the fence to plate a pair of runs to tie the game up, before a Kilee Imada RBI single would give the Yellowjackets a 5-4 lead in the bottom of the fifth inning. It would be a short-lived advantage though, with Western Washington responding with four runs across the final two innings, and executing well in the field to prevent the 'Jackets from mounting another comeback, locking in the series sweep of MSUB.
 
Penney finished 2-3 in the game with a pair of RBIs and runs, while Meyer was 1-3 with two RBIs and a run. Malia Cavan and Teagan Setton each went 1-3 in the game with a run, while Imada was 1-3 with her RBI.
 
THE BUZZ: Bagnell was selected as the Intermountain Health Player of the Game for game one, while Penney was chosen for game two… in total, Penney hit three home runs on the day, doubling her season total to six, and her career total to 32, moving into fourth in program history… Seeton hit her 14^th home run of the season, moving within one of tying the program's single-season record… The Yellowjackets hit their program best five home runs in a game for the third time in program history, previously reaching that total five other times.
 
UP NEXT: The Yellowjackets hit the road for the final time this season with their second-to-last GNAC series, heading north to face off against Simon Fraser University for four games. The series is set to begin with a doubleheader on Friday, April 19, with first pitch set for 12 PM PT (1 PM MT). Live video of the games will be available here, and live statistics will be available here.