Yellowjacket Softball Opens in Minnesota Saturday (Feb. 23, 2005)
BILLINGS, MT – After an unseasonably
warm spring that allowed valuable outdoor practice, the
Montana State-Billings softball team kicks off its season
this weekend. The Yellowjackets open their 2005 campaign
on Saturday and Sunday at the St. Cloud State Husky Dome
Classic.
The tournament will feature 15 games
on the two fields inside the new Husky Dome. This new
facility was completed in the fall of 2004 and is part of
the Husky Stadium athletic complex. The Dome covers a
state-of-the-art synthetic playing surface at Husky
Stadium, which is home to SCSU's football and soccer teams
during the fall.
The Yellowjackets will face Pittsburg
State, St. Cloud State, and Winona State on Saturday.
MSU Billings plays twice on Sunday, once against Emporia
State and once against Minnesota-Duluth. It won’t be an
easy start to the season for the Jackets, but will provide
a good measuring stick for the veteran team. St. Cloud
State is currently ranked fourth in the nation by the NFCA,
and Emporia State is ranked nineteenth.
MSU Billings was picked to finish
third in the PacWest Conference by league coaches. The
Jackets were 27-28 overall last season and 6-14 in
conference play. Eight of their conference losses came
during a 12 game losing streak in February when the
Jackets were playing their first games of the season
outdoors. They rebounded to go 23-14 from that point.
The Yellowjackets led the PacWest and ranked 23rd in the nation for home runs last season and return all
nine players who homered in at least one game.
Following the St. Cloud Tournament,
the Yellowjackets travel to Washington where they will
play at least 13 games, including a number of games at the
Central Washington Invitational on March 4, 5 and 6.
MSU Billings opens its home schedule on March 13 against
Dickinson State at Cenex Stadium. Beginning April 5, the
Jackets play their final 16 games at home. |
