‘Jackets earn series split with No. 12 Colorado Mesa

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT Evan O’Kelly Director of Communications O: (406) 657-2130 E: evan.okelly@msubillings.edu Sunday, February 19, 2017 ‘Jackets earn series split with No. 12 Colorado Mesa

MSUB knocks off No. 12 Colorado Mesa 7-2 on Sunday to earn a series split and its second straight baseball victory on the road.

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. – A four-run fourth inning helped the Montana State University Billings baseball team earn a series split with No. 12 Colorado Mesa University, as the Yellowjackets defeated the Mavericks 7-2 on a damp Sunday morning in the series finale at Suplizio Field.

After losing the first two games in the four-game set against CMU, the ‘Jackets rallied to win Game 2 of a doubleheader on Saturday 9-5 before Sunday’s triumph to close the series. The Yellowjackets improve to 2-5 with the victory, their second in-a-row.

“The guys were ready to go today, coming off of last night’s win,” said MSUB head coach Aaron Sutton. “We came out confident and they executed our game plan really well. We can start to see things turning for us as a club, and I am proud of how the guys are handling themselves and believing in each other.”

Freshman Sam Muskat pitched five perfect innings in his collegiate debut, securing a lead that was handed off to him after four solid innings by starter Steen Fredrickson.

The duo combined to retire the final 18 batters of the game, and CMU managed just four hits total.

“Both Steen and Sam are young guys, but they both threw like seasoned veterans and gave us a chance to win,” Sutton said on the two arms he utilized.

At the plate, Conner Linebarger hit his first home run as a Yellowjacket and Casey Merritt went 2-for-5 with a pair of RBIs atop the lineup.

CMU (5-3) struck first, as Bligh Madris singled home Brick Paskiewicz to make the score 1-0 in the bottom of the first. MSUB responded with Linebarger’s solo home run off Maverick starter AJ Landis in the top of the second, as the junior evened the score. Landis took the loss in the game, allowing five runs – one earned – on five hits with five strikeouts and one walk in four innings pitched.

Fredrickson set down the side in order in the second with a strikeout, before Paskiewicz gave the edge back to CMU with a solo shot of his own to center field in the third. It was all the offense the Mavericks mustered in the game however, as the host advanced just two runners into scoring position the rest of the way.

The pivotal point in the game came in the top of the fourth when first baseman Ryan Myers reached on a fielding error.

The defensive miscue – one of four in the game by CMU – hurt the Mavericks as Myers came around to score on a bad throw on a ground ball hit by Max Hartgraves. Merritt followed with a two-out, two-run single to right field, making the score 5-2 and giving the ‘Jackets a lead they never relinquished.

Muskat came in to start the fifth, and the left-hander kept the Mavericks off balance the final five frames. He pitched to contact extremely well, retiring eight of the 15 batters he faced in three pitches or less. He didn’t walk or strikeout any of the hitters he faced, and the Beaverton, Ore., native needed just 50 pitches to get through his stellar outing. “We preach having a 3-pitch mentality every day, and Sam does it to a tee,” Sutton said. “He changes speeds well, and executes our pitching game plan. Most of all, that guy pitches with a chip on his shoulder, and you can’t sub that for anything.”

Linebarger continued to swing the bat well with a leadoff double in the top of the sixth. After a sacrifice bunt by freshman Caje Golden, Hartgraves lifted a fly ball deep enough into right field to score Linebarger and make it 6-2. The ‘Jackets tacked on a final run in the ninth, as a double by Kade Hall scored Merritt who had reached on another error by CMU. The ‘Jackets played their best defensive game of the season, committing no errors and supporting Fredrickson and Muskat superbly.

Paskiewicz went 2-for-4 with two runs scored, and PJ Gonzales and Madris were the only other players with a hit. CMU struck out just twice in the game, but did not draw a walk against the Yellowjacket staff. Jarrett Bott and Eli Thonquist were effective out of the bullpen for the Mavs, the former allowing one run on two hits with four strikeouts in four innings pitched. Thonquist finished the game with one unearned run allowed on one hit with two strikeouts in the ninth.

THE BUZZ: Muskat was picked as the St. Vincent Healthcare Player of the Game…it was the first time MSUB didn’t allow a walk in a game since May 5, 2016 at home against Saint Martin’s…the ‘Jackets are now 3-5 all-time against the Mavericks.

NEXT UP: The Yellowjackets play their final three non-conference games next weekend, with a road trip to St. George, Utah to face Dixie State University on tap. The three-game series will run from Feb. 24-26, and live stats will be available throughout online here.

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