GRAND JUNCTION, Col. – The Montana State University Billings baseball team (8-5) fell 5-1 to Colorado Mesa University (5-6) after a high-quality pitcher's duel on Thursday afternoon in Grand Junction. The 'Jackets threatened in several innings offensively, but the Mavericks paired quality pitching with key defensive plays to hold MSUB to just one run.
Jackson Betancourt highlighted the day for the Yellowjackets, going 6.2 innings while allowing just one earned run and only walking one batter.
HEAR FROM WADDOUPS: "Jackson threw an outstanding game for us. As a team defensively, we need to take better care of the baseball. Our defensive effort and the ability to make plays was the difference in that game. We hit some balls hard right at people today and overall took a good approach at the plate. The hits will start to fall for us tomorrow and we look forward to getting back on the field."
Bodee Wright got things started offensively for the Jackets, lining the first pitch of the game into right field for a single, but was unable to come around to score in the top half of the first. CMU struck first after a defensive miscue and a pair of singles, but Betancourt was able to pitch out of the jam after getting a fly ball to center field to leave two runners stranded. The Mavericks added to their lead via sacrifice fly their next time up, giving them a 2-0 advantage after two innings of play.
Scott Artzer led off the top of the third with a base hit back up the middle and was eventually brought around to score on a passed ball from the Mavericks, cutting the deficit to one. Betancourt made quick work of the Maverick offense, sitting them down in order to take the game into the middle innings. CMU tallied on another run in the bottom of the fourth with an RBI single, but the Jackets were able to end the inning after a 5-4-3 double play to limit the damage. The MSUB offense threatened in their half of the sixth after a double down the left field line off the bat of
Kaden Kirshenbaum, moving runners to second and third base with two outs. The Mavericks were able to escape after a sharply hit ground ball to the first baseman for the final out, holding on to a three-run lead heading into the final stretch.
Kevin McClellan took the mound in the bottom of the seventh, relieving Betancourt after 6.2 innings of quality work. After a quiet inning from both lineups, MSUB started off the top of the eighth with a leadoff walk from
Parker Bleggi. Two batters later,
Zack Blaszak scorched a double off of the left field wall which brought Bleggi to third base with one out and the heart of the order coming up. Ultimately, the threat was ended with back-to-back lineouts to keep the score at 4-1. The Mavericks added an insurance run after an RBI single and would go on to take the game 5-1.
STATISTIC LEADERS
DOUBLES: Kirshenbaum, Kaden (1); Blaszak, Zack (1)
WALKS: Bleggi, Parker (2); Fortier, Ryker (1); Blaszak, Zack (1)
RUNS: Artzer, Scott (1)
IP: Betancourt, Jackson (6.2); McClellan, Kevin (1.1)
ER: Betancourt, Jackson (1); McClellan, Kevin (1)
THE BUZZ: Jackson Betancourt was named Intermountain Health Player of the Game after allowing one earned run, striking out two, and walking just one after 6.2 innings pitched.
UP NEXT: The Montana State University Billings baseball team continues their series against the Colorado Mesa University Mavericks tomorrow, February 28
th, with a doubleheader starting at 12 PM in Grand Junction, Colorado. Live statistics for the matchups can be found
here, and the live stream link can be found
here.
