PUEBLO, Col. – Led by senior shortstop
Zack Blaszak, the Montana State University Billings baseball team edged the Colorado State University Pueblo Thunderwolves (3-2) in an offensive slugfest. The Yellowjackets improved to 4-2 on the season after hitting .450 as a team with 18 hits, 11 walks, and seven extra base hits which led them to their three-run victory at Rawlings Field earlier this evening. The 'Jackets clutch hitting and timely pitching drove their triumph, outscoring Pueblo 7-3 in two out RBI's and holding the Thunderwolves scoreless in the ninth behind
Hayden Mullins save.
The MSUB offense put on a clinic in the high elevation Colorado atmosphere, featuring five players with at least two hits and four players with multiple runs batted in. Blaszak led the way, going 3-5 on the day with three doubles and three runs while driving in four.
Kaden Kirshenbaum followed close behind with three hits of his own while posting two runs, one double, and three RBI's.
Parker Bleggi was also amongst the three hit game performers but hit the go-ahead two RBI home run in the top of the eighth to give the Yellowjackets the advantage. Also highlighting the day was
Jack Nehlers base hit in the top of the seventh that helped him reach 100 career hits at MSUB.
HEAR FROM WADDOUPS: "Pueblo did a great job of challenging us and making it a back-and-forth ballgame, but our guys showed impressive resilience as a team to come out on top. It was great to see Mullins come into that spot and show he's capable to close out that kind of game. We had a lot of great at bats up and down the lineup which proved to be the difference with how tough our one through nine is."
On the first pitch of the game, senior second baseman
Bodee Wright got things started with a leadoff double off the center field wall. Blaszak then moved him over on a flyout to right field and was later brought home on an RBI single from
Ryan Jeffrey. With bases loaded
Nate McDonald drew an RBI walk followed by an RBI sacrifice fly from
Jason Wright to give the Yellowjackets an early 3-0 lead with
Kevin McClellan taking the mound for his first career start.
The Thunderwolves quickly responded with a pair of runs on four hits in the bottom of the first to cut their deficit to just one run. After a quiet second and third inning, the 'Jackets scratched another run across via leadoff triple from
Parker Bleggi and an RBI sacrifice fly from
Bodee Wright. Following was back-to-back base hits from Blaszak and
Jack Nehler to get MSUB into scoring position yet again,
Kaden Kirshenbaum did the rest with an RBI base hit through the left side to make it a 5-2 ballgame. Relieving McClellan in the top of the fifth was
Cole Bakker making his first appearance of the 2025 season but not before McClellan went three complete innings with five strikeouts while allowing just two runs.
After putting on some more pressure, Pueblo immediately responded again, but this time with three runs to tie it up 5-5 heading into the top of the fifth. The 'Jackets started the fifth with a single from McDonald and
Jason Wright followed by a walk from Bleggi to load the bases for Blaszak with two outs. Blaszak stayed hot, hitting a three RBI double down the left field line and was eventually brought home on an RBI base hit from Kirshenbaum to take the 9-5 advantage. After 2.1 innings of work while allowing just one earned run, Bakker was relieved by senior transfer
Gunner Thompson for his second appearance of the season.
The Thunderwolves caught fire the next two innings, scoring seven runs which was capped by a home run from Pueblos Christian Castaneda to give them the 12-11 advantage. After what had already been a back-and-forth battle continued in the top of the eighth when
Jarret Elmer got on base via walk and Bleggi brought him home with a go-ahead two RBI home run to deep left field. They didn't stop there as
Bodee Wright and Nehler singled to get on base and Kirshenbaum followed with an RBI double.
Ryan Jeffrey brought home the fourth and fifth run of the inning on a two RBI base hit up the middle and the Yellowjackets had the 16-12 lead.
After Thompson went 0.2 innings with zero earned runs and one strikeout,
Lance Schaaf made his third appearance of the season. Schaaf was quickly relieved by junior transfer
Hayden Mullins who shut the door on the Pueblo production. The Thunderwolves were able to scratch another run across, but Mullins went on to throw two complete innings with zero runs while allowing just two hits and one walk, earning his second save of the season in the Yellowjackets 16-13 game one victory.
Lance Schaaf was credited with the win, earning his second of the season in just three appearances.
STATISTIC LEADERS
HITS: Zack Blaszak (4); Three players tied (3)
RBI: Zack Blaszak (4);
Kaden Kirshenbaum (3);
Ryan Jeffrey (3)
RUNS: Zack Blaszak (3);
Bodee Wright (3);
Parker Bleggi (3)
IP: Kevin McClellan (3.0);
Hayden Mullins (2.0)
SO: Kevin McClellan (5);
Gunner Thompson (1)
ER: Hayden Mullins (0);
Gunner Thompson (0)
THE BUZZ: Zack Blaszak was named Intermountain Health Player of the Game after going 4-5 from the plate with three doubles, three runs, four runs batted in, and one stolen base.
UP NEXT: The Montana State University Billings baseball team is back in action tomorrow for a double header against CSU Pueblo starting at 12 PM at Rawlings Field. Live statistics for the double header can be found
here, and the live stream link can be found
here.
