TRACY, Calif. – The Montana State University Billings softball team was bested in a pair of games on day one of the 2026 NorCal Crossover, falling to #1 Cal State San Marcos and Cal State Dominguez Hills.
 
Facing off against the nation's top-ranked D2 team in this week's NFCA poll, the Yellowjackets (2-14) would keep it close early against the Cougars (15-1), staying within a few runs of them until late in the seventh inning. MSUB would then end the day with a defeat against the Toros (15-5) to finish the day 0-2.
 
Game One: CSUSM 6, MSUB 0
 
The Cougars would start by tacking on a run in both the top of the first and second innings, but Avery Gray would settle in in the circle to help keep the Yellowjackets close, holding the Cougars scoreless over the next three innings. Gray would strike out a season-high five batters for MSUB in the game, and while San Marcos would get a runner on base in each of those innings, the sophomore pitcher and MSUB's defense would help to stand each of those runners. But the 'Jackets would struggle at the plate, only collecting two hits throughout the game and not plating a run, while San Marcos would score four more runs in the final two innings to build a larger lead, on their way to claiming victory over the 'Jackets.
 
Gray would finish the game with 6.2 innings of work, a career-high in innings pitched. She would also collect a walk while batting in the game. Alexis Tovar would also draw a walk, while outfielders Marleigh Nieto and Wynter Hurst would collect MSUB's two hits, each batting 1-3 with a single.
 
Game Two: CSUDH 8, MSUB 0 (6 Innings)
 
The Toros wasted little time in taking control of the 'Jackets second game of the day, plating a pair of runs in the bottom of the second to take the lead. They would score three more runs across the next two innings, plating a pair of runs in the third on a two-run home run before a fielder's choice in the fourth inning made things 5-0. The Yellowjackets would once again finish the game with two hits as a team, with five errors not helping the cause defensively as Dominguez Hills asserted it's control over the game, scoring three more runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to finish the game early with a run-rule victory.
 
Nieto and Hurst would each bat 1-3 once more with singles, while Destiny Villas would reach base one time on a walk. Danica Butler would start and throw three innings of work, while Ashley Akers would throw the final two innings, striking out one batter.
 
THE BUZZ: Nieto and Hurst were named Intermountain Health Players of the Game for the first and second games respectively… Nieto has finished with a hit in 14 of MSUB's 16 games so far this season… her .468 batting average ranks fourth in the GNAC among qualified hitters.
 
UP NEXT: MSUB will play two more games Saturday, February 28 on day two of the NorCal Crossover, facing off against Stanislaus State at 12:30 PM MT (11:30 AM PT) and Chico State at 5:30 PM MT (4:30 PM PT). Live stats will be available here for game one, and here for game two.