Jackets Bounce Back for Wins at BYU-Hawaii (Mar. 28, 2005)
Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score

LAIE, HI – After two losses at Hawaii Pacific followed by two days of rain outs last week, the Montana State-Billings softball team returned to the diamond on Monday with a doubleheader sweep of BYU-Hawaii.  The Yellowjackets prevailed 4-3 in eight innings in the first game and ran away for a 10-3 win in game two.  MSUB improved to 15-7 overall and 2-2 in the PacWest.  The Seasiders dropped to 12-18, 4-10.

Aysha Blatter’s two-out RBI double to left center in the top of the eighth inning proved to be the difference in the first game, the Jackets’ first conference win of the year.  Blatter (So., Richland, WA) drove in Christy Wankel (Jr., Great Falls, MT) from second base for the game winning run.  Joey Ehnes (Sr., Great Falls, MT) shut down the Seasiders in the bottom of the eighth assisted by a double play by Anna Henderson (Jr., Frenchtown, MT).  Henderson gunned down Mandy Kirkham at second base from centerfield after catching a fly ball for the second out.

Wankel, Henderson, Jenna Haacke (Fr., Billings, MT) and Stephanie Cochrun (Sr., Lake Stevens, WA) each scored runs for the Jackets in the eight inning win.  Theresa Campbell (Sr., Great Falls, MT) was 2-for-3 at the plate.  Cami Rainey (Sr., Terreton, ID) and Layne Pavey (Sr., Spokane, WA) each went 2-for-4.  Ehnes tossed all eight innings for the win.

The Jackets broke out the bats in the second game, posting four innings with multiple runs.  They scored three runs in the third to jump to a 3-1 lead behind a two-RBI double from Campbell.  Campbell’s two-run homer in the top of the fifth blew the game open, giving Ehnes plenty of cushion to cruise to her twelfth win of the year.  She is 12-5 overall with a 1.64 ERA.  The Yellowjackets added three insurance runs in the seventh.

Campbell was 2-for-3 with four RBI and a run.  Rainey also went 2-for-3 with an RBI and a pair of runs scored.  Ehnes and Rachel Quarnburg (So., Billings, MT) were each 2-for-4 at the plate with a run and an RBI apiece.  Quarnburg is batting a team-best .429.  The Jackets had six doubles in the game, one each from Rainey, Quarnburg, Campbell, Wankel, Pavey, and Ehnes. 

The Jackets and Seasiders will meet again on Tuesday.  Game times are scheduled for noon and 2:00 HST.  MSU Billings leaves the islands after Tuesday’s games and will play in the Easton Tournament of Champions in Modesto, CA on April 1-3.  The Yellowjackets return home for PacWest doubleheaders against Chaminade on April 5 and 6 at Cenex Stadium.