MSUB baseball falls to Holy Names 7-5 Saturday

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT Evan O’Kelly Director of Communications O: (406) 657-2130 E: evan.okelly@msubillings.edu Saturday, February 13, 2016 MSUB baseball falls to Holy Names 7-5 Saturday

Luke Reinschmidt has a triple, a double, and three RBIs, but the Yellowjackets lose to Holy Names University 7-5 on Saturday in St. George, Utah.

ST. GEORGE, Utah – A three-run, sixth-inning rally helped Holy Names University come from behind for a 7-5 victory over the Montana State University Billings baseball team on Saturday in a nonconference game hosted by Dixie State University at Bruce Hurst Field.

The Yellowjackets built a 4-1 advantage over the first four innings, but the Hawks scored two in the fifth and took the lead by plating three runs in the sixth inning. For the second day in-a-row, MSUB was plagued by allowing free baserunners, as HNU loaded the bases with a walk and two hit batters in the sixth. Chris Gnos plated a run by drawing a walk, and Caleb Parker finished off the three-run burst with an RBI-single to make it 6-4.

“We played hard today but made a few mistakes in the middle innings that cost us,” said MSUB head coach Rob Bishop.

“I know our guys are looking forward to getting back on the field for two more games tomorrow.”

The Yellowjackets are now 1-2 on the young season, while Holy Names improved to 2-6 with the victory. MSUB senior Luke Reinschmidt was 2-for-5 with a double, a triple, and three RBIs, leading the way offensively in the game. Casey Merritt had a productive day atop MSUB’s lineup, going 2-for-5 with a double, an RBI, and two runs scored.

For the Hawks, Gnos drove in three runs and Parker and Branson Umbarger each also had an RBI. HNU pieced together a five-man effort on the mound, with starter Trent Carrier lasting 4 2/3 innings and allowing four runs – one earned – on nine hits with three walks and two strikeouts. Jayse Bannister, Jared Carr, Jeff Hill, and Jacob Rivera scattered four hits in 4 1/3 innings of relief, striking out eight Yellowjackets and issuing just one walk.

For MSUB, starter Drew Christina pitched 4 1/3 innings and gave up three runs on six hits with a pair of strikeouts and three walks. Lee Busto threw the final 4 2/3 innings, allowing four runs on five hits with six strikeouts.

HNU took the lead on a Gnos single in the top of the first, but the ‘Jackets responded in the bottom of the second. After back-to-back singles by Tanner Watson and Kyle Durbin, Reinschmidt came through with a big twoout, two-run triple to make it 3-1.

MSUB added to its lead in the fourth inning, as Myles Berkram singled and crossed the plate on Reinschmidt’s double. The Hawks began their comeback in the fifth inning, when Dusty Zeisler scored on a wild pitch and Gnos knocked in Ryan Paniagua with another single.

Junior left fielder Casey Merritt had a solid day at the plate, going 2-for-5 with a double, an RBI, and two runs scored Saturday in MSUB’s 7-5 loss to Holy Names University.

HNU came through with the defensive play of the game in the bottom of the fifth, as Paniagua, Gnos, and Umbarger combined on a relay that nailed MSUB pinch runner Zach Robinson at home and prevented the run from scoring. The Hawks carried that momentum to the offensive side, putting up the big 3-run sixth inning and never looking back after that.

Colter Sternhagen had an RBI-double, but his drive that plated Merritt in the eighth inning wasn’t enough to help the ‘Jackets make a comeback.

MSUB scored five runs on 13 hits and made two errors in the game, leaving 11 runners on base. The Hawks scored seven times on 11 hits with two errors, and stranded nine runners.

THE BUZZ: Reinschmidt was picked as the St. Vincent Healthcare Player of the Game for the ‘Jackets…Sternhagen has three extra base hits in three games this season…the ‘Jackets have walked 18 batters and hit five in their last two games.

NEXT UP: MSUB wraps up its first weekend of the season with two more games on Sunday. The ‘Jackets will play a rubber game against Holy Names at noon, before taking on Dixie State at 3:30 p.m. at Bruce Hurst Field. Both of Sunday’s games will have live statistics available here.

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