FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT Evan O’Kelly Director of Communications O: (406) 657-2130 E: evan.okelly@msubillings.edu Saturday, February 20, 2016 ‘Jackets score 18 runs, sweep Metro State in doubleheader Saturday
MSUB’s offense comes alive as the Yellowjackets score 18 times in a pair of victories over Metro State University on Saturday. DENVER – With 17 runs already scored, Casey Merritt delivered the final RBI of the day for his team, driving in Kyle Durbin with a double in extra innings to help the Montana State University Billings baseball team to a sweep of Metro State University Saturday afternoon at the Regency Athletic Complex. The Yellowjackets won Game 1 12-5 before battling back to grind out a 6-5 extra-inning victory and win their third straight overall. Luke Reinschmidt went 4-for-4 with two home runs and six RBIs in Game 1, while four different players had multiple hits and five had RBIs in the second game. MSUB is now 5-3 on the season, while Metro State fell to 1-5. “We played a great doubleheader today in all aspects of the game,” said MSUB head coach Rob Bishop. “Our bullpen was terrific in both games, and we had a solid offensive approach all day. The second game was a grind and our guys answered the call coming from behind against a tough closer.”
Game 1 – MSU Billings 12, Metro State 5 Reinschmidt got MSUB off to a strong start, lifting his second homer of the year over the fence in right-center and plating Zach Robinson on the play for a 2-0 lead. The Roadrunners took advantage of an error in the bottom of the frame however, pushing across two unearned runs on doubles by Trent Maloney and Hunter Donaldson to even the score. The ‘Jackets had a prime scoring chance in the top of the second, but Jake Thurston, Nick Comito, and Andrew Paust combined for a 6-4-3 double play to end the frame. A double by Corey Morris brought home Colter Sternhagen and drove Metro State starter Ryan Baca from the game in the top of the third inning. Morris’s second hit of the ballgame plated one of four runs scored in the inning, as the ‘Jackets rallied to take a 6-2 lead.
Junior Matt Hape made his second start of the season for the ‘Jackets on Saturday.
The Roadrunners scratched out two more unearned runs in the third, as Donaldson had another RBI-double before coming around to score on a fielding error by the ‘Jackets. Adam Cox helped MSUB get one run back in the top of the fourth, driving in Reinschmidt with his second RBI of the game. The Yellowjackets loaded the bases with one out, but another inning-ending double play saved the Roadrunners from giving up multiple runs.
After reliever Jared Winslow worked around a pair of baserunners in the fourth, MSUB blew the game open in the fifth. Reinschmidt launched his second home run of the game, a three-run shot that made it 10-4 in favor of the ‘Jackets. MSUB starter Matt Hape struck out two and walked two in 2 2/3 innings, and although he allowed four runs just two were earned. Winslow threw the final four innings of the game to earn his first career victory, striking out five and walking one while giving up one run on four hits. Donadlson was 3-for-3 with three RBIs, while Maloney went 2-for-2 with three runs scored and two walks for the Roadrunners. Metro State used six different pitchers, with Baca giving up six runs on nine hits and a walk in 2 1/3 innings. Nic Hansen threw the final 1 2/3 innings out of the bullpen, and didn’t allow a hit or a run. Game 2 – MSU Billings 6, Metro State 5 (8 Innings) With Casey at the bat in the top of the eighth with the score tied 5-5, MSUB’s junior left fielder came through with an RBI-double that plated Durbin and gave his team a one-run lead. Reilly Mau ripped a two-out double off of Cox to make it interesting in the bottom of the frame, but the sophomore buckled down and got the next batter to pop up and end the game. Senior Drew Christina tossed five solid innings for the ‘Jackets in the second game of Saturday’s doubleheader.
Yellowjacket starter Drew Christina had five strikeouts and just one walk, allowing five runs on nine hits in five innings. Lee Busto tossed a scoreless inning in relief, before handing the ball off to Cox for the finishing touches. Metro State starter Javi Vega labored hard through six innings, striking out four and walking none while allowing four runs on nine hits. Maloney tossed the final two innings, and took the loss as he allowed the tying and winning runs on four hits. Kevin Toon delivered a game-tying RBI-double in the top of the seventh inning, as he plated Myles Berkram from second base. The ‘Jackets were 90 feet away from taking the lead, but Maloney ended the inning with a called third strike and kept the score at 5-5. Cox worked around a leadoff hit batter in the bottom of the seventh, and struck out Marcus Bean and Comito to send the game to extra innings. Metro State paid the price for a two-out error in the first inning, as the ‘Jackets pounced on Vega for three unearned runs on consecutive hits by Tanner Watson, Morris, and Durbin. After Christina retired the first five batters of the game, the Roadrunners picked up an unearned run of their own as Derek Stimpson scored on an error to make it 3-1 in the second. Watson plated Toon with an RBI-single to get one back in the third, but the ‘Runners pulled to within one run on a sacrifice fly and an RBI-single for Stimpson in the bottom of the frame. Vega retired six of the next eight Yellowjackets, and back-to-back home runs from Paust and Donaldson gave Metro State its first lead of the day at 5-4 in the bottom of the fifth. Comito was the only Metro State player with multiple hits in the second game, while five different players had an RBI. THE BUZZ: Cox was picked as the St. Vincent Healthcare Player of the Day, after going 4-for-5 at the plate in Game 1 and earning the win on the mound in Game 2…Game 1 was Reinschmidt’s second-career 4-hit game and third-career game with five or more RBIs…he tied Brody Miller and Colby Robison for most games with five or more RBIs in Yellowjacket history…he is the fourth player in MSUB history with six or more RBIs in a game, joining Miller, Robison, and Trevor Nix. NEXT UP: The series wraps up on Sunday with a single 9-inning game at the Regency Athletics Complex. First pitch is scheduled for noon, with live stats available here. --@MSUBSports | #JacketNation--