April 23, 2008

Softball Begins Pivotal Seven-Game Week Thursday Versus Seattle

BILLINGS, Mont. – The Montana State Billings softball team begins a nine-game homestand Thursday with two crucial conference games against Seattle University beginning at 3 p.m.  The Jackets (22-19, 11-7 in the GNAC) sit one game behind Seattle and Western Oregon in the standings heading into the week. 

This week, MSUB will play a total of seven games, four of which are conference contests.  In addition to Thursday, the Jackets and the Redhawks will play a non-conference game Friday at 1 p.m., before Western Washington comes to Billings for two conference games Saturday and two non-conference games Sunday, beginning at 12 p.m. and 10 a.m., respectively.   

The Yellowjackets enter the week red hot, winning 16 of their last 20 games.  MSUB and WWU are one game back in the conference standings with six to play. 

Leading the way for the Yellowjackets this season is Leslie Davis who is hitting a team-best .381 in 41 games.  She leads the team with 51 hits, 12 doubles, 31 RBIs and 85 total bases.  Also having a strong year is Terina Stacks who is second on the team at a .372 clip.  She has played and started all 41 games and only has committed one error all year in 267 attempts.  Jessica Frank leads the team in triples with three, home runs with nine and is 13 of 14 in stolen bases.  Eight Yellowjackets are hitting over .300 41 games into the season.

As a team the Jackets have come on as of late offensively.  Since starting the season 6-15, have hit .362 in the last 20 games with 68 extra-base hits.   Included in that are 36 doubles, five triples and nearly double their opponents in home runs (27-14).   

On the flip side, the pitching staff has held its opponents to hitting just .235 over the last 20 games.  The opponents only have had 40 extra-base hits and committed 33 errors to the Jackets’ 20.  MSUB’s staff ERA is 2.70 during the streak, while the opponents’ is 6.85. 

For the season, the Jackets are led by two strong hurlers in Lisa Moore and Rebekah Tsatsa.  Moore leads the team with a 2.73 ERA and boasts a 9-5 record.  She has appeared in 19 games with 13 starts and nine complete games.  She has two shutouts as well in 92.1 innings of work.  Tsatsa leads the team with a 10-7 record and carries a 2.97 ERA.  She has appeared in a team-high 23 games with 18 starts and 12 complete games.  She has two shutouts as well in 115.2 innings pitched.  Tsatsa leads the team with 89 strikeouts and opponents are hitting just .252 against her.

Seattle enters the week with a 28-10 record and 10-4 record in the GNAC.  The Redhawks have not played a game since Apr. 17 as their Apr. 19 contest with Central Washington was postponed to Apr. 27. 

The Redhawks are led by Jane Purdy who is hitting .424 on the year in 34 games.  She leads the team with 42 hits and is slugging a team-best .556.  Katie Antich is second on the team at a .374 clip, while Megan MacIssac leads the team with 10 doubles and Lauren Berin has four home runs to lead the team.  Antich leads the team in stolen bases with 19.  SU has five players hitting over .300. 

As a team, the Redhawks are hitting .308 with 82 extra-base hits including 64 doubles, five triples, and 13 home runs.  The team is 45 of 51 in stolen bases.   

Only two pitchers have seen action on the mound this season for SU.  Erin Martin leads the team with an 18-4 record and a 1.81 ERA.  She has made 25 appearances with 23 starts and 22 complete games to go along with five shutouts.  Martin leads the team with 155 innings pitched and has fanned 84.  Kelsey Reynolds has a 2.38 ERA and a 10-5 mark.  Reynolds has made 16 appearances with 15 starts and 13 complete games, along with five shutouts as well.  She has pitched 100 innings and struck out 40. 

Seattle has won all four meetings this year and owns a 12-2 record all-time.  This will be the Redhawks’ first trip to Billings.  SU has outscored the Jackets 23-5 this season.  In one of the four meetings, the Jackets held a 2-0 lead heading into the sixth at the CWU Invitational before SU scored three runs in the top of the inning to pullout a 3-2 win in a non-conference game.

Western Washington enters the week with a 22-16 record and a 10-6 mark in the conference.  Michelle Wrigley leads the team with a .361 average.  She also leads the team with 43 hits, 11 doubles, 54 total bases and in slugging percentage at a .454 clip.  Liza Teichler is second on the team with a .313 average.  Megan Flem leads the team with three home runs and Kelsey Anderson leads the squad stealing 10 of 11 bases.  As a team, the Vikings are hitting .267 with 58 extra-base hits, including 48 doubles, three triples and seven home runs.

The staff is led by Jessica Rosencrants who leads the team with an 11-6 record and a 1.78 ERA.  She’s made 21 appearances with 17 starts and 13 complete games, along with three shutouts and two saves.  Rosencrants leads the team with 122 innings pitched and she has fanned 90. 

Western Washington owns a 4-2 record over the Jackets this season and an 8-5 record all-time.  This also will be the Vikings’ first trip to Billings.