BILLINGS, Mont. – A late-inning rally and standout performances from
Zack Blaszak and
Hayden Mullins lifted the Montana State University Billings baseball team to a thrilling 10-7 comeback win over No. 15 Northwest Nazarene in game one of Friday's doubleheader at Dehler Park. Despite dropping game two 11-1, the Yellowjackets (23-11, 14-4 GNAC) managed to split the day's action with the conference-leading Nighthawks (28-11, 16-4 GNAC), keeping the GNAC title race tight.
Blaszak was the offensive engine in the opener, turning in a career-best performance. The Park City, Utah native went 4-for-5 with six RBIs—a mark that ties him for second all-time in MSUB single-game history. He added a run scored and a double in his monster outing.
On the mound,
Hayden Mullins was lights out in relief. Entering in the sixth, the junior transfer tossed four scoreless innings, racking up a career-high seven strikeouts to earn his fourth win of the season. Mullins also improved his season ERA to just 1.04, keeping him on track for the lowest season ERA in MSUB history.
HEAR FROM COACH WADDOUPS: "It was great to see the fight from our guys to get a quality comeback win in game one. Mullins was lights out, coming out of the pen and putting up four zeros. It was great to see production from the entire lineup, but it was Blaszak who really had a big-time game for us."
GAME ONE: MSUB 10; NNU 7
After the Nighthawks struck early with one in the top of the first, the Yellowjackets immediately responded with one of their own after Blaszak brought
Bodee Wright home on an RBI single. NNU followed suit in the top of the second inning but the 'Jackets took a commanding 5-2 lead in the bottom frame after adding four runs on a pair of hits.
Jarret Elmer got things started with a leadoff walk, followed by a single from
Parker Bleggi and a hit by pitch from Wright. Adding his fourth RBI of the game, Blaszak brought them all home on a three RBI double to left center. Rounding out the second inning scoring was
Jack Nehler bringing Blaszak home to give MSUB a three-run advantage.
Both starting pitchers were able to throw up a pair of zeros in the third and fourth innings, but NNU regained a 7-5 lead after a huge five run inning in the top of the fifth. The Yellowjacket lineup continued to be silenced until the bottom of the eighth when they blew the game open.
Cole Ayala got things going with an RBI single, followed by a two RBI go-ahead base hit from Wright. Blaszak then added insurance with his fifth and sixth RBIs of the game on another base hit to lead MSUB to a 10-7 win.
Jackson Betancourt made the game one start, going five complete inning with a pair of strikeouts before being relieved by Mullins. The Denton, TX native did the rest, earning his fourth win of the season with four straight scoreless innings and a career high seven strikeouts.
HEAR FROM COACH WADDOUPS: "In game two we just didn't execute out of the bullpen. Offensively we hit a lot of balls hard but just couldn't get anything to fall. Looking forward to getting back out there tomorrow to compete."
GAME TWO: MSUB 1; NNU 11
After a scoreless first, the Nighthawks again struck first in the second game of the series, taking an early 2-0 lead. From there, NNU added another in the top of the third, but Wright matched in the bottom half. The senior second baseman sent his third home run of the season over the left field wall to make it a 3-1 ballgame. Following was seven runs from Northwest Nazarene and six scoreless innings from the Yellowjackets. Silencing the top offense in the GNAC, NNU's Ernesto Lugo-Canchola earned his eighth win of the season after seven innings of work with five strikeouts to lead the Nighthawks to an 11-1 victory.
On the bump for the 'Jackets,
Brennen Chappell gave MSUB six complete quality innings. The CSI transfer allowed just three runs on six hits while striking out five in his seventh start of the season. Following was
Malcolm Bartholomew,
Andrew White,
Jaxon Meyer, and
Cole Bertram who each pitched in 0.2 innings of work. Closing out the final 0.1 innings for the Yellowjackets was
Lance Schaaf.
STATISTIC LEADERS
H: Zack Blaszak (5); Four players tied (2)
R: Bodee Wright (4);
Parker Bleggi (2)
RBI: Zack Blaszak (6);
Bodee Wright (3)
IP: Hayden Mullins (7);
Brennen Chappell (5)
SO: Brennen Chappell (6.0);
Jackson Betancourt (5.0);
Hayden Mullins (4.0)
W/S: Hayden Mullins (W)
THE BUZZ: Zack Blaszak was named Intermountain Health Player of the Game for game one and
Bodee Wright 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 at 10:00 AM against #15 Northwest Nazarene. Tickets for the four game series can be purchased
here, live statistics can be found
here, and the live stream link can be found
here.
