FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT Evan O’Kelly Director of Communications O: (406) 657-2130 E: evan.okelly@msubillings.edu Friday, February 17, 2017 ‘Jackets let lead slip in 9-7 loss at No. 12 CMU Friday
MSUB can’t make a 7-2 lead hold up, in a tough 9-7 loss in Game 1 of a four-game series at No. 12 Colorado Mesa on Friday in Grand Junction, Colo. GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. – A five-run sixth inning by No. 12 Colorado Mesa University erased a 7-2 lead for the Montana State University Billings baseball team on Friday, as the Yellowjackets let a big advantage slip away in a 9-7 loss to the Mavericks at Suplizio Field. The Yellowjackets (0-4) supplied starter Cody Cooper with a five-run lead through the first five innings of play, thanks in large part to the first career home runs by Max Hartgraves and Kade Hall, and the first of the year from slugger Adam Cox. The Mavericks scored five runs – four of them unearned – with two outs in the sixth inning however, to tie the game at 7-7.
A two-out, two-run single by Andrew Contreras proved to be the gamewinning hit, as he delivered the final offensive blow to make it 9-7 after seven innings of play. Jett Wodiuk and Taylor Dye combined to silence MSUB over the final two frames, and helped the Mavericks improve to 4-1 with the series-opening victory. “We made a big jump today as a squad, and we competed very well,” said MSUB head coach Aaron Sutton. “Coop threw well, the defense played well, and we swung it great from an offensive standpoint. Now we have to go out and repeat this tomorrow. We got a taste of what it’s like to play the way we want to, and now we have to go out and do it again.” Cooper allowed five runs on five hits with one strikeout and four walks in 5 2/3 innings pitched. Steen Fredrickson took the loss with four runs allowed in one inning pitched, and Tristan Shockley gave up just three baserunners over the final 1 1/3 scoreless innings. Casey Merritt got on base to lead off the game thanks to a fielding error by the Mavs, but the ‘Jackets couldn’t turn it into a run as starter JR McDermott stranded Merritt on second. Catcher Landon Peterson helped Cooper avoid a first-inning runner in scoring position, nailing Kyle Serrano in his attempt to steal second and sending the ‘Jackets back to the dugout.
Senior Cody Cooper threw 5 2/3 innings in Friday’s 9-7 loss at Colorado Mesa.
The Mavericks struck first in the bottom of the second inning, as PJ Gonzalez drove a solo home run over the fence in left-center. MSUB responded immediately however, as Hartgraves laced a one-out home run to right field. “Max is really growing, and is providing a spark for us,” Sutton commented on the redshirt freshman. “He is playing aggressive, isn’t playing scared, and that’s great to see.” Only a pickoff by McDermott prevented the bases from being loaded when Hall stepped to the plate, after the sophomore right-hander had walked the next three Yellowjackets he faced. Hall’s three-run blast opened up a 4-1 lead for the ‘Jackets in the third, giving Cooper room to work with in his second start of the season. An RBI-groundout by Tanner Nieslanik plated a run in the bottom of the frame, but Cooper pitched out of a bases-loaded jam to keep a two-run lead in MSUB’s hands. The senior kept the momentum rolling with an efficient, eight-pitch fourth inning, and pitched around a single and a walk to put up another zero in the fifth. Meanwhile, the ‘Jackets scored three more runs at the plate, as Cox led off the top of the fifth with his first home run of the year and the 10th of his career. Hall followed with a double off the wall in left center and scored on a wild pitch, and Jake Tallman brought Matt Dillon home with a sacrifice fly to make the score 7-2.
The second big inning of the game drove reigning Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Pitcher and Freshman of the Year, and All-American McDermott from the mound, after allowing four runs on four hits with four walks and four strikeouts in four innings pitched. Conner Linebarger showed off the leather in the bottom of the sixth, as he grabbed a pair of sharp line drives to prevent what could have been extra bases for the Mavs. MSUB had a shot to get out of the inning, but Hartgraves’ throw from short to Linebarger after a diving backhanded stop was a half-step too late to nail the runner at third. The strong defensive play wasn’t enough to stop the game-changing rally, as CMU took advantage of an ensuing fielding error and Bligh Madris and Gonzalez each had RBI-singles. Hall finished the game 3-for-5 with three RBIs, and Linebarger was the other Yellowjacket with multiple hits at 2-for-4. Gonzalez went 3-for-5 with a pair of RBIs, and Serrano was 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored. THE BUZZ: Hartgraves was picked as the St. Vincent Healthcare Player of the Game, making six plays at short in addition to his first collegiate home run…Linebarger’s hits were the first two of his career at MSUB…after allowing just one home run in all of 2016, McDermott has now given up four in his first two starts of the 2017 campaign…MSUB’s last time playing a ranked team was a three game series against No. 24 Dixie State from Feb. 22-23, 2013…the ‘Jackets are 0-11 all-time in games against NCAA D2 ranked opponents. NEXT UP: The series resumes on Saturday with a doubleheader scheduled for noon at Suplizio Field. The teams will play a 9-inning game followed by a 7-inning game, with live video and live statistics available online through www.msubsports.com. --@MSUBSports | #JacketNation--