BILLINGS, Mont. – The Montana State University Billings Yellowjacket baseball team (13-27, 7-15 GNAC) dropped both games on the day to the #23 Northwest Nazarene Nighthawks (25-10-1, 15-7 GNAC).
 
HEAR FROM WADDOUPS: "I loved the way we competed as a team today at the plate, it was great to see us continue to put up runs off of a tough pitching staff. It is unfortunate that in game two we didn't get the win after an outstanding start from Beau Burnett. He was really tough on the mound for us and pitched with amazing composure. We had production throughout the whole lineup today, Barnes has really stepped up and produced for us and overall, our defense was very clean. We just need to come out tomorrow and minimize their bid innings and find a way to finish."
 
GAME 1: MSUB 12, NNU 18
The Nighthawks got out to an early 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first but the 'Jackets came storming back with three of their own in the following top half. Kaden Kirshenbaum led things off with a double and was immediately scored on a base hit up the middle from Ryan Jeffrey. Jeffrey was then scored on an RBI triple from Jarret Elmer and Elmer was brought home on a sacrifice fly from Parker Bleggi to tie up the ballgame.
 
After a scoreless third inning, the Yellowjackets had another big inning, scoring three in the top of the fourth. Similar to the second inning, Kirshenbaum started the rally with a base hit followed by back-to-back singles from Jeffrey and Berk Barnes. Elmer reached on a fielder's choice and would later score on an RBI single from Bodee Wright to put the 'Jackets ahead 6-3. MSUB featured more action in the top of the fifth after back-to-back solo home runs from Jack Nehler and Payton Flynn to extend their lead to five.
 
After the Nighthawks tallied a pair of runs in the bottom of the fifth, the Yellowjackets responded after Nehler scored Bleggi on an RBI single to make it 9-6 still in favor of MSUB. NNU took their first lead of the game since the first inning after scoring five runs in the sixth. It was more back-and-forth baseball as Barnes hit a three RBI homer in the following half to regain a 12-11 lead. From there the Nighthawks ran away with it, scoring six runs in the bottom of the seventh and one run in the bottom of the eighth and went on to take the 18-12 victory over the Yellowjackets.
 
Jackson Betancourt made the start in the opening game of the series and went 4.1 innings with five strikeouts while allowing six earned runs. Brian Baker, Sage Wayment, Andy Evans, and Lance Schaaf combined for the final 3.2 innings of work with two strikeouts.
 
GAME 2: MSUB 5, NNU 6
Game two proved to be more of a pitchers' duel as the first two innings were scoreless until the Nighthawks scraped one across in the bottom of the third and the Yellowjackets scored two in the top of the fourth. After Flynn led things off with a solo home run, Kirshenbaum would follow that with a base hit and would later score on a fielder's choice.
 
The Nighthawks quickly responded with a pair of their own the 'Jackets fired right back with two more in the top of the fifth after Flynn's third long ball of the day, scoring two RBI's and retaking a 4-3 lead for MSUB. After an NNU run in the bottom of the sixth and a scoreless seventh, the matchup was headed into extra innings. After a leadoff double from Barnes, Wright stayed clutch as he hit a go-ahead RBI double to take the 5-4 lead in the top of the eighth. The odds were not in the Yellowjackets favor as the Nighthawks scored two in the bottom of the eighth, walking it off and winning the game 6-5.
 
Beau Burnett made the start of the season and had the answer for the red-hot Nighthawk lineup. The reigning GNAC Pitcher of the Week went 5.1 innings with four strikeouts while allowing just three earned runs and one walk. Relieving Burnett was Cy Miller who went 1.2 innings with a pair of strikeouts while allowing just two earned runs. Closing it out in his second appearance of the day was Sage Wayment who went 0.1 innings with zero earned runs.
 
KEY PERFORMANCES:
GAME 1
Bodee Wright – 3-5, RBI, HR
Berk Barnes – 2-5, 5 RBI, R, HR
Jack Nehler – 2-5, 2 RBI, R, HR
Kaden Kirshenbaum – 4-5, 3 R, 3 2B
Ryan Jeffrey – 3-5, RBI, 3 R
GAME 2
Payton Flynn – 2-4, 3 RBI, 2 R, 2 HR
Kaden Kirshenbaum – 2-4, R,
Berk Barnes – 2-4, R, 2B
Beau Burnett – 5.1 IP, 4 SO, 3 ER, 1 BB
 
THE BUZZ: Payton Flynn was named Intermountain Health Player of the Day after posting three home runs on the day with three runs and four RBI's. Flynn also surged himself to T3rd all-time in the MSUB history books for career home runs with 25.
 
UP NEXT: The Montana State University Billings Yellowjacket baseball team is back at it again for another double header against Northwest Nazarene with first pitch starting at noon.