Lady Jackets Drop Two More Heartbreakers (Mar. 6, 2004)

RICHLAND, WA – The Montana State-Billings softball team continued to be plagued by nail biting losses Saturday, falling to No. 1-ranked North Dakota State, 5-2 in eight innings, and to Seattle University, 4-3.  The Yellowjackets fell to 5-16 overall for the season.  They will play Western Washington and St. Martin’s on Sunday to close the Central Washington Invitational. 

Against the top-ranked Bison, MSU Billings junior Joey Ehnes battled former high school rival Lindsey Graham for eight innings.  Ehnes graduate from Great Falls High School, while Graham went to Great Falls C.M. Russell High School.

The Bison struck first with two runs in the bottom of the first inning on Cindy Castleberry’s two-RBI double.  The Jackets climbed back into the game with a run in the top of the second and another in the fourth.  Theresa Campbell singled in the second and advanced to second on an error.  She moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on a fielder’s choice by Cami Rainey.  Campbell then tied the game when she sent a 1-2 pitch over the outfield fence in the fourth.

Using the international tiebreaking rules, the Yellowjackets started the eighth inning with a runner on second base.  MSU Billings eventually loaded the bases with one out, but Campbell struck out swinging for the second out and Layne Pavey grounded out to the pitcher to end the inning.

NDSU started the bottom of the eighth with a runner on second and the Bison’s first batter reached on an error.  The second batter of the inning was Graham, who knocked a 1-0 pitch out of the park for the game winner.  Ehnes struck out seven and allowed eight hits in the loss.  Graham struck out eight and allowed five hits in the win.

In the Jackets’ second game, Seattle jumped to a 3-0 lead in the top of the first, but MSU Billings answered with two runs in the bottom half of the inning.  Ehnes and Christy Wankel each scored when Sara Hanley reach on an error by the shortstop.

The Redhawks added a run in the fourth to take a two-run lead.  Ehnes was on the mound again, giving up ten hits and two earned runs while striking out seven.  The Yellowjackets’ seventh inning rally fell just short, plating one and leaving two runners on base.  Ehnes started the inning with a walk and eventually scored when Stephanie Cochrun reached on an error by the second baseman.  The Yellowjackets stranded nine runners in the game.