BURNABY, B.C. – The Montana State University Billings softball team opened Great Northwest Athletic Conference play north of the border on Friday, falling twice to Simon Fraser University to begin it's slate of conference games.
 
The Yellowjackets (2-23, 0-2 GNAC) battled hard against the Red Leafs (4-20, 2-0 GNAC) to begin conference play. The 'Jackets would fall narrowly 2-1 in a battle to open the slate of games, but would be unable to complete a comeback win. In the second game, MSUB would keep it close early, but Simon Fraser would pour on runs late, run ruling the Yellowjackets in five innings of work.
 
Game One: SFU 2, MSUB 1
 
After a clean first inning from both teams, the Red Leafs would get on the board first with a leadoff home run in the bottom of the second inning to sneak out an early lead. Jillian Karsjen would lead off the top of the third with a double, but despite advancing to third, MSUB would be unable to push her across the plate, and Simon Fraser would end up scoring an unearned run in the bottom of the frame when the 'Jackets would allow an unearned run to cross the plate on an error, doubling their advantage.
 
But MSUB would cut the lead back to one in the top of the fifth, with Lina Delgado singling to reach base before she would be pinch run for by Mia Andersen. After Karsjen would reach on a hit by pitch, MSUB would capitalize on a two out opportunity, with Wynter Hurst singling to plate Andersen, and close in on the Red Leafs. MSUB would have two more opportunities with runners reaching in the top of the sixth and seventh, but the Red Leaf's defense would capitalize to help shut the door twice on the 'Jackets, holding on to take the win in game one of the doubleheader.
 
Avery Gray would put up a strong performance in the circle, throwing six innings and allowing two runs (one earned) on ten hits, striking out a pair of batters and not walking a single batter. Meanwhile at the plate, Gray would hit 1-3. Karsjen would hit a perfect 2-2 with a double, while Hurst would also collect multiple hits, batting 2-4 with an RBI. Delgado would bat 1-3 in the game.
 
Game Two: SFU 9. MSUB 1 (5 innings)
 
Simon Fraser would get on the board first once more in the bottom of the first inning, scoring a run on a sacrifice fly. But MSUB would claw it's way back to level in the top of the third, with Emily Brevig singling to lead off the inning, then stealing a base and advancing on a pair of wild pitches to even the game. But that break would be short-lived, with the Red Leafs plating a pair of runs in the bottom of the frame to retake their lead. Two more runs in the bottom of the fourth would help add insurance to the lead, before a four-run bottom of the fifth would see the Red Leafs walk things off with a run-rule victory, sweeping the first day of action against the 'Jackets.
 
Brevig would reach base in both of her plate appearances, hitting 1-1 with a walk, a run, and a steal. Lina Delgado and Josie Theilen would collect the Yellowjacket's other hits in the game, each batting 1-2 in the game while Theilen reached base once more on a walk.
 
THE BUZZ: Gray earned Intermountain Health Player of the Game honors for game one, while Brevig was selected for game two.
 
UP NEXT: The Yellowjackets are set to conclude their opening series of conference play with the Red Leafs on Saturday, March 21, with a doubleheader set to commence at 1 PM MT (12 PM PT). Live video will be available on the GNAC Network, while live statistics can be found online here.