January 24, 2008

Lady Jacket Softball Picked to Finish Fifth in GNAC
   2008 Roster
   2008 Schedule

BILLINGS, Mont. – In its inaugural season in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference, the Montana State Billings softball team was picked to finish fifth in the standings in the seven-team field following a recent preseason coaches’ poll.  The Lady Jackets finished third in the Heartland Conference in 2007 with a record of 26-24 overall and 10-5 in the league.

Seattle University, with four first place votes, was picked to finish first in the conference after making the most of last season’s eighth place berth to the NCAA West Regional.  The Redhawks won five straight games before falling in the championship game to Cal State Stanislaus.  Returning eight starters, Seattle University will look to take the title from last year’s conference champion Western Washington.  The Vikings are picked to finish second followed by Western Oregon, Central Washington, Montana State Billings, Saint Martin’s, and Northwest Nazarene.

The Lady Jackets will rely on a solid core of veteran players as four of the 11 returning players were selected to Heartland all-conference teams last season.  Jessica Frank, a senior shortstop from Great Falls, Mont., batted .346 and scored 26 runs and 25 RBI.  Junior utility player Stephanie Gosselin from Victoria, BC batted .303, added 28 runs and drove in 30 RBI.  Billings native Jenna Haacke will return to second base for MSUB as a senior.  Haacke batted .265 and tallied 18 runs and 21 RBI last season.

The Yellowjackets return its entire pitching staff and are led by Rebekah Tsatsa.  Tsatsa, a junior from Eagle, Idaho, returns to the mound after pitching 114.2 innings last season for the Jackets.  Tsatsa posted a 3.36 ERA and struckout a team-leading 63 batters.  Versatile both at the plate and the mound, junior Terina Stacks from Washougal, Wash., will see plenty of field time for the Jackets.  Stacks batted .410, scored 42 runs, and drove in 35 RBI in 2007.  On the mound she tallied a 4.16 ERA while striking out 26 batters.

MSUB kicks off their season at the Triple Crown Leadoff Classic in Phoenix, Ariz., February 14 and 15.  The Lady Jackets will face Hawaii-Hilo, Cal State San Bernardino, and Barry University.