BILLINGS, Mont. – The Montana State University Billings softball team completed it's final home games of the 2026 regular season with a four-game series against Northwest Nazarene University, splitting it's contests over a pair of doubleheaders on Friday and Saturday afternoon in Great Northwest Athletic Conference play.
 
The Yellowjackets (7-38, 5-15 GNAC) would round out it's final home series of the season with a pair of big wins over the Nighthawks (26-17, 7-9 GNAC), both coming in very different fashion. MSUB would win the opening game of the series on Friday 2-1, coming out ahead in a pitcher's dual to start the series strong, with Kendall Klemp's sixth inning RBI double proving to be the difference in the game. The 'Jackets would then collect their second win of the series to guarantee the split in the opening game Saturday, with Wynter Hurst hitting a walk-off two-run homer to provide the biggest highlight moment for MSUB in it's final day of home games this season.
 
Game One: MSUB 2, NNU 1
 
The Nighthawks would threaten to score in the first inning of action and take an early lead in the opening game of the series, but some crafty pitching from Danica Butler would see her strand runners on second and third to keep the game scoreless through one. But the Nighthawks would create a one-run lead for themselves in the top of the second inning with a solo shot the following inning. That lead would only last an inning though, with a walk and a pair of singles loading the bases for MSUB in the bottom of the third inning with one out. Wynter Hurst would score the tying run on an RBI single, but two consecutive outs would see NNU keep the game tied at one.
 
The game would then transform itself into a battle between the pitchers, with the freshman Butler stepping up with one of her best appearances for MSUB in the circle this season. Beginning in the fourth inning, Butler would piece together four consecutive innings without allowing a hit, with only two runners reaching base the rest of the way for the Yellowjackets, both reaching on errors and would be quickly stranded. Meanwhile, the Yellowjackets would create their best chance to take the lead in the bottom of the sixth with a single from Destiny Villas putting a runner on base. Then with one out remaining in the inning, a pinch hit double down the right field line by Kendall Klemp would score the runner from first base to give MSUB it's lead. A one, two, three top of the seventh from the 'Jackets defense would see MSUB lock up the win in the series opener, and give Butler the complete game win.
 
Butler would allow just three hits and a run in the game, striking out a pair of batters and walking three batters. At the plate meanwhile, Klemp would bat 1-1 with her double finishing as the team's lone extra base hit of the game. Josie Theilen would hit 1-3 with a steal, Hurst would bat 1-3 with an RBI, while MSUB would also see Alexis Tovar and Villas bat 1-1 in the game.
 
Game Two: NNU 16, MSUB 2 (5 Innings)
 
The Nighthawks would waste no time in looking to avenge their opening game loss, exploding four eight runs across the opening two innings, powered by three home runs as they took a commanding early lead. An RBI double by Josie Theilen would help to close the gap to 8-1, but NNU would continue to respond in force, putting up a pair of runs in the fourth inning before a six-run top of the fifth would give the visitors more than enough insurance late in the game, with Alexis Tovar's RBI single in the bottom of the fifth serving as a footnote in the Nighthawk's victory to pull the series back to even.
 
Theilen would bat 1-2 in the game with an RBI, collecting one of MSUB's two doubles along with Lina Delgado, who hit 1-1 with a run. Tovar would also bat 1-1 with a run in the game, while Wynter Hurst would collect MSUB's final hit in the game, batting 1-3. In the circle, Avery Gray would strike out six batters, a season high for MSUB pitchers this season.
 
Game Three: MSUB 9, NNU 7
 
Both offenses would find some success in the opening stages of the first game on Saturday, with a pair of RBI hits helping NNU take a first inning lead before an RBI single from Marleigh Nieto in the bottom of the frame would halve the lead. From there, the team's would trade home runs, with a solo shot from Wynter Hurst for the Yellowjackets being sandwiched by a pair of two-run shots from the Nighthawks, seeing Northwest Nazarene lead 6-2 after the top of the fourth.
 
Josie Theilen would help MSUB immediately take a run back in the bottom of the fourth though, singling up the muddle to score one, with the Nighthawks gunning out a runner at home to limit the damage. But the 'Jackets would continue to build momentum, with Ashley Akers cutting the lead to 6-3 with an RBI single, before a big double to right field by Cazz Rankosky would plate a pair of runs, evening the game up at six-all. With both teams looking for the tiebreaker, MSUB would pounce on a solo homer from Kendall Klemp in the bottom of the sixth, taking a one-run lead. But an immediate response from the Nighthawks would see the visitors even the game up at seven each in the top of the seventh. And after MSUB's first two batters of the inning would strike out, the game looked likely to go to extra innings. But following a single from Theilen, Hurst would get a hold of a ball and drive it to left field, just clearing the fence to send the Yellowjacket dugout into a frenzy, walking the game off with her second long ball of the contest and guaranteeing MSUB a series split.
 
Hurst would finish the game 2-4, racking up a pair of runs and three RBIs to lead MSUB, while Theilen would hit 2-4 with a pair of runs and an RBI and Klemp would go 2-3 with a run and an RBI. Rankosky would lead the team in hits with a 3-4 effort, doubling once and driving in two runs, while Akers would hit 1-2 with a walk, scoring a pair of runs and driving in one. Marleigh Nieto would bat 1-4 with an RBI, while Destiny Villas and Alexis Tovar each scored a run, hitting 1-3 and 1-4 respectively.
 
In the circle, Akers would collect the win, moving to 3-4 on the season after throwing the final 3.2 innings of the game, allowing just four hits and one run as she helped to spark MSUB's rally with her arm as well.
 
Game Four: NNU 22, MSUB 7
 
Despite the large scoreline, the series finale between the Yellowjackets and Nighthawks would begin with two and a half scoreless innings of softball, with MSUB briefly taking a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the third inning when a single from Wynter Hurst would be misplayed in center field, helping Danica Butler cross home to give MSUB the lead. But it would be a short-lived advantage, with Northwest Nazarene driving in eight runs in the top of the fourth, helped by four home runs in the frame. After a brief respite in the fifth inning, the Nighthawks would tack on two more from solo home runs, but on the verge of being run ruled, Josie Theilen would come up with a three-run double to clear the loaded bases from MSUB in the bottom of the sixth, extending the game an inning further. That inning would prove disastrous though, with NNU going on to score 12 runs to fully run away with the proceedings, leaving no doubt. A three-run home run from Destiny Villas would help to provide some late excitement for the home team, but the Yellowjackets would fall to a hot-hitting Nighthawks offense in the series finale, splitting the series contests with their foes.
 
Villas would bat 2-3 with a run and Theilen would hit 1-3, each totaling three RBIs. Meanwhile, MSUB would see Wynter Hurst, Marleigh Nieto, and Cami Hearn all collect a pair of hits in the game, with Nieto and Hearn each scoring a run. Kendall Klemp would bat 1-4 with a run, while Jillian Karsjen and Danica Butler would each score a run in the game.
 
THE BUZZ: Intermountain Health Players of the Game for the series were Butler for game one, Theilen for game two, Hurst for game three, and Villas for game four… Hurst totaled the first multi-home run game of her career, moving to four homers for the season along with a team-leading 24 RBIs…
 
UP NEXT: MSUB will kick off it's final series of the regular season on Friday, April 24 with games against Central Washington University, taking place in Ellensburg, WA at Gary & Bobbi Frederick Field. Games are scheduled for 3 PM/5 PM MT (2 PM/4 PM PT). Live video will be available on the GNAC Network, while live statistics can be found online here.