Jacket Softball Opens with Split (2/11/07)
Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score

PHOENIX, AZ – The Montana State-Billings softball team opened its season with a doubleheader split against Western New Mexico (2-2) on Sunday.  The Mustangs won the first game 8-0 in five innings; MSUB rallied to win the second game 6-5.  The neutral-site game was played at Grand Canyon University.  The Jackets (1-1) will take on Grand Canyon on Monday and Dixie State on Tuesday in Phoenix.

In game one, the Mustangs broke open a scoreless game with four runs in the bottom of the third inning.  They tacked on three runs in the fourth and ended the game via the eight-run rule with two outs in the bottom of the fifth.  Brianne Grommon tossed a five-hit shutout for WNMU.  Antoinette Estrella and Emily Robinson drove in three runs apiece for the Mustangs. 

The Jackets’ Rebekah Tsatsa (Eagle, ID) was roughed up for nine hits and eight earned runs in 4 2/3 innings.  She walked three and struck out three.  Five different Yellowjackets had hits in the game, all singles.  Lorel Palmer (Ogden, UT) was 1-for-2 with a stolen base.

The Mustangs jumped all over the Yellowjackets in the second game with five runs in the first three innings.  MSUB scored its first run in the bottom of the third inning and added another in the fourth to cut the lead to 5-2.  The Jackets erupted for four runs in the bottom of the fifth for a 6-5 lead.  Neither team scored in the sixth or seventh innings.

Terina Stacks (Washougal, WA) pitched a complete game for the victory.  She allowed eight hits and two earned runs, walking three and striking out four.  She was hurt by two Yellowjacket errors that led to three runs.  Leslie Davis (Federal Way, WA) was 1-for-4 with a triple and a pair of RBI.  Aysha Maddox (Richland, WA) also drove in two RBI.  She was 2-for-3 and scored a run.  Stacks helped her own cause, going 2-for-4 with a run and an RBI.  Jenna Haacke (Billings, MT) was 1-for-2 and scored twice.  Steph Gosselin (Victoria, BC) was 1-for-2 with a double, an RBI, and a run scored.

The Mustangs’ Savannah Formo went 4 2/3 innings, allowing seven hits and six earned runs.  Meredith Drahota and Cory Usher each had two hits in the game.  Formo was 1-for-2 at the plate with a home run.