TOPEKA, Kan. – The Montana State University Billings softball team kicked off it's five-game weekend tournament in Kansas on Friday, facing off against Fort Hays State and Washburn University on day one of the Washburn Invitational.
 
The Yellowjackets (2-10) would fall short in both contests Friday, falling 12-2 in the opening game of the day against the Tigers (3-4), before finishing off the day against the tournament hosts, falling 15-0 to the Ichabods.
 
Game 1: FHSU 12, MSUB 2 (6 innings)
 
Fort Hays would jump on the Yellowjackets coming out the gate, putting up a five run first inning as they took an early lead over the Yellowjackets. After the Tigers posted one more run in the top of the second, but an RBI single from Josie Theilen would see MSUB plate it's first run of the game to keep the gap at five. Danica Butler would pitch a scoreless third inning to give the Yellowjackets a chance to close the gap more, but after a scoreless bottom of the frame, the Tiger's bats would reawaken as the game continued, scoring in each of the next three innings as they finished the game with 12 runs on 17 hits, taking down the Yellowjackets.
 
Theilen would finish the game 1-2 with an RBI, while Marleigh Nieto would go 1-3 with an RBI double in the bottom of the fifth inning, scoring MSUB's other run in the game. Grace Hood would score both of the 'Jackets runs in the game, going 1-3, while Wynter Hurst and Destiny Villas each also batted 1-3 in the game. Emily Brevig would go 1-1 at the plate to give MSUB seven hits in the game. In the circle, Butler would pitch a team-high 4.1 innings of work, striking out a pair of batters.
 
Game 2: WU 15, MSUB 0 (5 innings)
 
The second game of the day would see the Yellowjackets once again fall into an early deficit, with Washburn scoring one run in the bottom of the first inning to take a narrow early advantage, before exploding at the plate the rest of the game, scoring multiple runs in each inning of the contest. Meanwhile, a dominant pitching and defensive performance from the Ichabods would see MSUB held to just one hit in the contest. MSUB would flash it's ability to put runners on base, drawing five walks in the first three innings of action, but a lack of hits would see the 'Jackets unable to plate any of those runners, falling in five innings to round out the day's action.
 
MSUB's lone hit in the game would be collected by Cazz Rankosky, who went 1-1. Meanwhile, Marleigh Nieto, Destiny Villas, Mia Andersen, Jillian Karsjen, and Emily Brevig would each draw a walk. Avery Gray would start the game in the circle and throw a team-best two innings of work, while Josie Theilen would pitch 0.2 innings after entering in the bottom of the third, not allowing an earned run in her appearance while forcing a pair of groundouts.
 
THE BUZZ: Nieto was named Intermountain Health Player of the Game for game one, while Rankosky earned the honor for game two.
 
UP NEXT: MSUB is set for a pair of games on Saturday as it continues it's run at the Washburn Invitational, facing off against University of Central Missouri at Silver Lake High School, and Northwest Missouri State University at Washburn Rural High School. Games are scheduled for 12 PM MT (1 PM CT) and 3 PM MT (4 PM CT) in Topeka, Kansas. Live stats will be available here for game one, and here for game two. No live video will be available for either game.