April 1, 2008                                                              

Baseball Opens Eight-Game Homestand with Dickinson State Wednesday

BILLINGS, Mont. – The Montana State Billings baseball team opens an eight-game homestand Wednesday at 1 p.m. with a doubleheader against Dickinson State at Pirtz Field.  The Yellowjackets conclude the week with the conference home opener Saturday and Sunday at 1 p.m. against Western Oregon.

MSUB is coming off a 5-2 week where the swept Colorado Christian and split a four game series at Northwest Nazarene.  Jonathan Schlender and Steve Scott were named Great Northwest Athletic Conference Player and Co-Pitcher of the Week, respectively.  Schlender went 10 of 22 for the week and drove in seven runs.  He scored eight runs, walked twice and was hit by a pitch four times while compiling a .571 on-base percentage.  Against NNU, he went 7 of 16 and drove in five runs.  Schlender tied the GNAC single record with three doubles in the opener of the series.

Scott earned conference Co-Pitcher of the Week honors for the second time this season as he pitched a four-hitter, allowed just one run, walked two and had two strikeouts in MSUB’s 6-1 win over Northwest Nazarene.  Earlier in the season, Scott also earned co-Pitcher of the Week honors as he tied the GNAC single-game record for strikeouts with 15 in a 4-3 victory over Mary in Arizona on Mar. 6.

The Yellowjackets stand at 9-18 overall and 2-10 in the GNAC through 27 games.  Leading the way for MSUB this season is Levi Johnson who is hitting .391 in 21 games.  He is second on the team in hits with 25 and is tied for second on the squad in RBIs with 11.  He also leads the team with a .484 slugging percentage.  Schlender leads the team with six doubles and Cole Pryor leads the team with four triples.  Three different Yellowjackets each lead the team with two home runs.

On the mound, the Jackets are led by Scott with a 5.35 ERA.  He is 3-3 on the year in seven appearances and leads the team in innings pitched (38.2), strikeouts (40) and has two complete games.  Cody Clark is 2-1 on the year with a 5.57 ERA in six appearances with two starts an one complete game.  He has pitched 21 innings.

Dickinson State enters the series with a 9-16 record and a 1-1 record in the NAIA Dakota Athletic Conference.  The Blue Hawks have won three of four and six of nine entering the week.  Leading the way for DSU this season Scott Tulloch who is hitting .411 in 24 games.  He leads the team with 37 hits, seven doubles, four home runs and a .622 slugging percentage.  Tony Isbell is second on the team, hitting .379 and leads the team with 34 RBI. 

On the bump, DSU is led by Luis Avila with 35.2 innings pitched.  He has a 1-4 record and a 4.29 ERA.  Isbell also pitches as he is 3-2 on the year with two complete games and a 4.94 ERA.  Isbell is second on the squad in innings pitched with 31 and opponents are hitting just .185 against him.

This will be the first meeting between Montana State Billings and Dickinson State.  MSUB is 1-2 this season against teams from North Dakota and 2-5 all-time.  The Yellowjackets and University of Mary spilt a doubleheader in Arizona and MSUB dropped a 12-7 decision to Mayville State also in Arizona.

Western Oregon enters the week with a 19-12 record and an 8-4 mark in the GNAC.  WOU travels to Corban College for a mid-week game before heading to Billings.  The Wolves have won eight of their last nine contests after sweeping Saint Martin’s March 22 and 24.  WOU is in second place in the GNAC behind Central Washington.

Leading the way for the Wolves this season is Dylan Bruck who is hitting a team-best .413.  He also leads the team in hits with 45 and doubles with 14 and 66 total bases.  Bruck is slugging a team-best .606 and is 18 of 23 in stolen bases.  Drew Humphrey is second on the team in average at a .354 clip.  He leads the team with 26 RBI and is second on the team in hits with 35.

Mike Ward leads the pitching staff with a 4-1 record and a 3.86 ERA in 10 appearances.  Ward has three starts, one complete game and one shutout in 39.2 innings of work.  Mike Eisenhauer is 4-3 on the year with a 3.67 ERA in nine appearances, eight starts and three complete games.  He leads the team in innings pitched at 56.1.  Mike Cusick leads the team in strikeouts with 45 and Jared Neyens is the team’s closer with three saves and a 2.77 ERA.