April 12, 2008

Yellowjackets Sting Crusaders in Doubleheader Sweep

     Game One
     Game Two 

NAMPA, Idaho. – After splitting two games yesterday against Northwest Nazarene, the Montana State Billings softball team responded with a doubleheader sweep of the Crusaders in convincing fashion Saturday with 10-2 and 12-3 victories.  With the wins, the Yellowjackets improve to 20-17 on the year and 9-5 in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference. 

In the openers, the Jackets scored 10 runs on 14 hits and held the Crusaders to two runs on just six hits.  Jessica Frank led the way offensively going 3 for 5 with three RBI, two triples and two runs scored.  Rebekah Tsatsa (9-6) went the distance on the mound, scattering six hits, two runs one earned, three walks and four strikeouts.

The Jackets scored one run in the top of the first as Leslie Davis belted a RBI double to left field, scoring Jenna Haacke.  The Crusaders came back with two runs in the bottom of the inning on two hits highlighted by a RBI double and a passed ball for a 2-1 lead.

MSUB evened the game in the third by the triple from Frank and Crystal Bentley drove her in with a RBI single.  The Jackets then poured it on in the fourth, scoring six runs on five hits as all nine batters came to the plate in the inning.  Kelly Parsons hit a two RBI double and Frank belted her second triple of the game, knocking in three runs for an 8-2 lead.

Two more runs crossed the plate in the top of the seventh for the Jackets by a RBI double to left and a run scored on an error for a 10-2 victory.

NNU opened the nightcap scoring two runs in the first three innings, but was unable to hold onto the lead as the Yellowjacket bats caught fire once again.  MSUB scored six runs in the fifth and six more in the seventh to take a 12-3 victory.  The Jackets batted around in both innings.

Frank went 4 for 5 in the nightcap with three RBI and two runs scored to lead the team.  She belted a three run home run in the sixth for her eighth round-tripper of the year.  Lisa Moore (8-5) picked up the victory for the Jackets, allowing six hits, three earned runs, four walks and eight strikeouts. 

The Yellowjackets continue on the road next week with doubleheaders at Western Oregon Friday and at Saint Martin’s Sunday.