ELLENSBURG, Wash. – The Montana State University Billings baseball team picked up their 20
th win of the season after sweeping the Central Washinton Wildcats (13-13, 7-7 GNAC) on the opening day of their four-game series at CWU Baseball Field earlier this evening. The Yellowjackets (20-10, 11-3 GNAC) took the 5-1 game one victory behind a stellar complete game pitching performance from
Jackson Betancourt, followed by game two 6-4 win behind a seventh inning go-ahead RBI double from
Kaden Kirshenbaum.
Last weekend, Betancourt topped the MSUB record books for career starts (42) and made his 43
rd start one to remember. In the opening game of the series, Betancourt earned his third win of the season after throwing a nine-inning complete game with nine strikeouts while allowing just one run. This complete game from the senior moved him into T-3
rd for career complete games in the MSUB history books while he is also now tied for fifth in career wins (11), fifth in career strikeouts (185), and 3
rd in total innings pitched with 227. Doing the heavy lifting on the offensive side of the ball was Kaden Betram who tallied two hits and three RBIs,
Ryker Fortier who posted two hits, a pair of runs, and an RBI, and
Kaden Kirshenbaum who also had two hits and two runs.
HEAR FROM COACH WADDOUPS: "Betancourt was outstanding today and did a great job of keeping Central off balance. A complete game in a nine is amazing and he did it by just attacking the zone and really came on late in the game. Our team did a great job of competing at the plate and making key defensive plays. I am proud of how the guys responded every time CWU got something going. Elmer did a great job creating offensive opportunities for us while seven of our nine hitters were productive across the board."
GAME ONE: MSUB 5; CWU 1
The opening game of the series between the Yellowjackets and the Wildcats proved to be a true pitchers duel. After a scoreless first inning, Central threatened in the bottom of the second inning with a pair of base hits while advancing to second and third with just one out. MSUB got out of the inning thanks to
Parker Bleggi who made a diving catch on a line out and was able to step on third to double them up and escape the jam. From there, both pitchers went on to throw six straight scoreless innings until the Wildcats scored the first run of the ballgame on an RBI double in the bottom of the seventh.
This struck fire into the Yellowjackets where they immediately responded with three runs on five hits in the following top half.
Kaden Bertram scored what would ultimately be the winning run with a two RBI single and Elmer followed by bringing Fortier home on a bunt to give the 'Jackets a 3-1 advantage. MSUB added a pair of insurance runs in the top of the ninth via RBI double from
Ryker Fortier and another RBI single from Bertram and Betancourt went back to work to close it out. In the bottom of the ninth the Wildcats got two aboard early with a walk and a single, but Betancourt retired three straight hitters to lead the Yellowjackets to a 5-1 game one victory. Betancourt took the cake in the pitchers duel, striking out nine batters while allowing just one run in his nine-inning complete game performance.
HEAR FROM COACH WADDOUPS: "Chappell gave us a quality start in game two and Kirshenbaum was clutch offensively and a game changer for us. The two runs in the seventh came when we needed them most and it was great to see another game of production from our whole lineup.
Kaden Bertram has been a huge asset for us at the DH spot and it's awesome having a competitor like
Hayden Mullins to finish games for us."
They Yellowjackets kept their deadly combination of quality pitching performances and clutch hitting going in game two.
Brennen Chappell made the start and went five complete with three strikeouts while allowing just three runs and
Hayden Mullins closed out the final two while allowing just one run to earn his third win of the season. Highlighting the MSUB sluggers, Kirshenbaum led the way with a perfect 3-3 performance, tallying two runs and what turned out to be a game winning RBI double.
GAME TWO: MSUB 6; CWU 4
Contrary to the first game of the day, game two started with early action from both squads. The Wildcats drew first blood in the bottom of the first inning on an RBI single from Division I Washington State transfer Brandham Ponce, but the Yellowjackets answered with three of their own in the top of the second. Fortier tied up the ballgame, scoring Kirshenbaum on an RBI single who got on via leadoff double. After another single from Bertram, Fortier scored on a Wildcat balk while
Nate May rounded out the second inning surge with an RBI base hit to give MSUB the 3-1 lead.
From there, CWU's Jonathan Garza II and
Brennen Chappell found their groove on the bump. The starters threw three straight scoreless innings while combining for seven strikeouts before heading into the bottom of the fifth. Both lineups were back in action with the Wildcats crossing two runs in the bottom half, followed by Fortier scoring on a wild pitch in the top of the sixth, but Central tied it up again 4-4 with an RBI double. Right on que, in the top of the final inning, MSUB clutched up with a pair of runs coming from an RBI double from Kirshenbaum and
Ryan Jeffrey bringing him home on an RBI single to give the 'Jackets the 6-4 advantage. Looking to add his third win of the season,
Hayden Mullins retired three straight batters in the bottom of the seventh to lead the Yellowjackets to a 6-4 victory.
STATISTIC LEADERS
H: Kaden Kirshenbaum (5);
Kaden Bertram (3);
Ryker Fortier (3);
Ryan Jeffrey (3)
R: Kaden Kirshenbaum (4);
Ryker Fortier (4)
RBI: Kaden Bertram (3);
Ryker Fortier (2)
IP: Jackson Betancourt (9);
Brennen Chappell (5)
SO: Jackson Betancourt (9);
Brennen Chappell (3)
W/S: Jackson Betancourt (W);
Hayden Mullins (W)
THE BUZZ: Jackson Betancourt was named Intermountain Health Player of the Game for game one and
Kaden Kirshenbaum was named Intermountain Health Player of the Game for game two!
UP NEXT: The Montana State University Billings baseball team is back in action tomorrow for another doubleheader against the Central Washington Wildcats in Ellensburg, WA, with first pitch set for 12 PM (MT). Live statistics for the matchup can be found
here, and the live stream link can be found
here.
