BILLINGS, Mont. – The Montana State University Billings softball team would round out it's slate of home games for the 2025 regular season, finishing the opening game of the day against Western Oregon with a 13-5 victory to seal a series victory, before falling 9-5 in the series finale of Great Northwest Athletic Conference play.
 
Looking to continue to collect wins as the Yellowjackets (13-25, 8-10 GNAC) attempt to qualify for their first GNAC Championships appearance since 2015, MSUB would take a step forward in it's chase with a run-rule, five-inning victory, sealing a series victory for the 'Jackets after a game scheduled for the previous day was canceled due to weather. The Wolves (13-33, 6-13 GNAC) would bite back in the second leg of doubleheader action, preventing the sweep.
 
Game One: MSUB 13, WOU 5
 
After shutting out the Wolves in the top of the first inning, MSUB would jump all over Western Oregon in the bottom of the frame, scoring eight runs in the first inning of action. Despite collecting just four hits, MSUB would see it's first eight batters reach base, with the 'Jackets combining to touch first on five walks and a hit by pitch in the early stages. MSUB would score it's first run on a walk, before plating two more on wild pitches, before Wynter Hurst's double would score two more. An RBI fielder's choice by Kennedy Dypwick would add one more run, before Marleigh Nieto would mark her second plate appearance of the inning with a two-run single up the middle to give MSUB a dominant early lead.
 
The 'Jackets would tack on four more runs in the bottom of the second, with Grace Hood plating the inning's first two runs on a two-run shot to left field, her second homer of the season, before Bryn Lucht would push the lead to 12-0 with a two-run single of her own. The Wolves would finally get to MSUB pitcher Caitlyn James in the third inning, putting up three runs before adding a run in both the fourth and fifth innings as they looked to keep the game alive. But needing just one more run to put the run rule into effect, and just one out left in the bottom of the fifth, Avery Gray would smack a single through the left side to plate a run, walking off the opening game of the day and guaranteeing a series win for MSUB.
 
Hood would finish the game 2-4, with her home run being the Yellowjacket's lone extra base hit of the game, plating a pair of runs and RBIs. Also finishing with two runs and RBIs was Wynter Hurst, would hit 2-3 in the game, reaching once more with a walk. Lucht would hit 2-3, driving in a pair of runs while scoring one of her own. Both Gray and Kaylin Galvin would each hit 1-2 while drawing two walks in the contest, with Gray also adding an RBI to her account. Dypwick would hit 1-2, reaching once more with a walk and totaling a pair of runs and an RBI, while Nieto and Jazlyn Kalehuawehe would hit 1-3, with Nieto scoring a run and driving in two RBIs while Kalehuawehe totaled one RBI. Galvin, Hurst, and Dypwick would all steal a base as well. In the circle, James would go 4.1 innings to collect her fourth win on the season, allowing five runs and striking out one, while Gray would shift from third base to pitcher to finish out the game, retiring two of the three batters she faced.
 
Game Two: WOU 9, MSUB 5
 
Both teams would plate runs in the opening inning of the series finale, with Western Oregon looking to turn around their misfortunes with a two-run top of the first. But MSUB would waste no time responding at the plate, with Marleigh Nieto leading off the side with a solo home run, just the second of her career. After a scoreless second inning, the game would remain tight, with the Wolves scoring two more runs on a two-run homer in the top of the third, before MSUB would battle back with an RBI double from Kaylin Galvin, and an RBI single from Lauren Blaschak. But MSUB would never be able to take the lead in the game, with home runs in the fourth and fifth innings scoring three more runs for Western Oregon. Grace Hood would continue her hot day at the plate with a two-run single to keep things interesting in the bottom of the fifth, but two more insurance runs in the seventh inning would help the Wolves build their lead back up, before holding the 'Jackets scoreless to prevent a rally and steal a win.
 
Nieto would finish the game 3-5 at the dish, scoring two runs and collecting one RBI in the game. Behind her, Galvin would hit 3-4 with two runs and an RBI of her own and adding a double, while Hood would go 2-3 with a pair of RBIs. Blaschak would bat 2-4 with a run and an RBI, and Wynter Hurst would go 1-3.
 
THE BUZZ: Hood was named Intermountain Health Player of the Game for game one, while Nieto was named Player of the Game in the second contest… Nieto is now hitting .409 on the season, ranking fifth in the GNAC in average, as well as hits with 47… Lucht moved to 39 RBIs on the season, climbing to fourth in the conference… over the three-game series, MSUB outscored WOU 35-15… MSUB finishes the season with a 9-4 record when playing at home… the 'Jackets currently sit at fifth in the GNAC Standings heading into the final weekend of action, needing to win two more games to qualify for the postseason.
 
UP NEXT: The Yellowjackets will hit the road next week to round out the regular season, going head-to-head with the team directly ahead of them in the GNAC Standings, Northwest Nazarene University. The four-game series will kick off on Friday, April 25, with doubleheader action beginning at 2 PM. Live video will be available here, while live statistics will be available here.