BELLINGHAM, Wash. – The Montana State University Billings softball team collected it's most impressive victory of the season to date, earning a split in Friday's Great Northwest Athletic Conference doubleheader against Western Washington University.
 
Facing off against the #11 ranked Vikings (27-10, 11-3 GNAC), the Yellowjackets (11-22, 6-7 GNAC) responded strongly after a 5-1 defeat in the first game of the day, pitching a shutout in game two to bring down their nationally ranked foes 2-0. The win marked MSUB's first win over a ranked opponent this season, and the 'Jackets first win against nationally ranked competition since the 2023 season.
 
Game One: 11 WWU 5, MSUB 1
 
A competitive game one would open with the Vikings tacking on a pair of runs in the first inning to grab hold of an early lead. But MSUB would respond in the top of the second, clawing a run back to halve the deficit. Following a single from Lauren Blaschak, the senior would advance to second on a wild pitch, before Bryn Lucht would drive home for the Yellowjacket's opening run of the contest, sending an RBI single into left field. The Vikings would respond in short fashion though, putting another run on the board in the bottom of the frame to restore their two-run advantage. The Yellowjackets would continue to threaten as the game wore on, putting runners on base in each of the game's remaining innings. But they would struggle to convert those opportunities into runs, while the Vikings would add two more runs in the bottom of the fourth inning to see out the victory in game one on the day.
 
Blaschak and Kennedy Dypwick would each finish the game 2-3, with Blaschak scoring a run and collecting a steal, and Dypwick swiping one bag in the game. Behind them, Lucht would hit 1-2 with an RBI, reaching base once more on a hit by pitch, while Wynter Hurst and Marleigh Nieto would go 1-3 and 1-4 respectively at the plate. Caitlyn James would hurl a complete game for the Yellowjackets, allowing just three earned runs in the contest.
 
Game Two: MSUB 2, #11 WWU 0
 
Looking to rebound, the Yellowjackets would waste no time before putting themselves on the board. After singles from Marleigh Nieto and Wynter Hurst and a walk drawn by Kaylin Galvin would load the bases, Jazlyn Kalehuawehe would drive in the game's first run, sending a sac fly out to centerfield to give MSUB a 1-0 advantage. The Vikings would escape the inning without sustaining any more damage, but would struggle to find success at the plate, with Yellowjacket's pitcher Emily Watters dealing throughout the game. The sophomore pitcher would make quick work of Western Washington's batters in the early stages, never allowing a runner past second base in the first four innings as she quieted the Viking's bats.
 
MSUB would find another insurance run to bring the lead to 2-0, when a fielder's choice would score pinch runner Emily Brevig. But behind a strong outing from Watters and an excellent showing from the Yellowjacket defense behind her, that lead would never come into question for the remainder of the game. After letting a pair of runners reach in the fifth inning, MSUB would escape the frame with no damage, before Watters would finish out the game with back-to-back three up, three down innings, handing the Yellowjackets an upset victory, along with their second shutout win of the season.
 
The game marked the first career shutout complete game for Watters, who in seven innings of work, would allowing just three hits and a pair of walks, while striking out five batters. The win marked her sixth of the season, the most in a season by a Yellowjacket's pitcher since the 2023 campaign. At the plate, Nieto would lead MSUB with a pair of hits, going 2-4 at the plate with a run. Kalehuawehe would go 1-3, collecting the 'Jackets lone RBI in the game, as would Hurst, Grace Hood, and Kennedy Dypwick. Hurst would reach base additionally with a walk, as would Galvin, Lauren Blaschak, and Ashley Akers.
 
THE BUZZ: Dypwick was named Intermountain Health Player of the Game for game once, while Watters was recognized as Player of the Game for the second contest… Watter's six wins tie for seventh in the GNAC this season… Nieto currently ranks fourth in the GNAC in batting average, hitting .404, while her 40 total hits tie for ninth… the win spelled the end to a 14-game losing streak for the Yellowjackets against the Vikings, dating back to the 2021 season.
 
UP NEXT: MSUB will square off against the Vikings again on Saturday, April 12, with doubleheader action for the day opening up at 1 PM MT (12 PM PT). Live video for both games can be found online here, and live statistics found online here.