Yellowjackets pick up first 2 GNAC wins over SMU Saturday

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT Evan O’Kelly Director of Communications O: (406) 657-2130 E: evan.okelly@msubillings.edu Saturday, March 11, 2017 Yellowjackets pick up first 2 GNAC wins over SMU Saturday

MSUB completes a doubleheader sweep of Saint Martin’s, allowing just five runs on the day with a pair of stellar pitching performances.

THE DALLES, Ore. – Kade Hall homered and drove in four runs and the Montana State University Billings pitching staff combined to allow just five runs as the Yellowjackets swept a doubleheader against Great Northwest Athletic Conference opponent Saint Martin’s University at Bob Williams Field on Saturday.

Cody Cooper and Tanner Watson combined to keep the Saints’ bats quiet in a narrow, 3-2 Game 1 win, and Jared Winslow had a career-high seven strikeouts in five shutout innings for a 6-3 win in Game 2.

Hall had the big hit in each game, his two-run home run giving the ‘Jackets the lead in Game 1 and his two-run double capping a six-run fourth inning in Game 2.

MSUB improved to 4-11 with the wins, and moved to 2-3 in conference play. The ‘Jackets won both games despite picking up just seven total hits on the evening.

SMU fell to 5-9 with the losses and is now 2-4 in the GNAC. Game 1 – MSU Billings 3, Saint Martin’s 2 A wild pitch proved to be the deciding factor in the game, as sophomore Matt Dillon crossed the plate to give the ‘Jackets a 3-2 edge in the top of the ninth.

Tanner Watson capped off 2 2/3 innings of scoreless relief by retiring the side in the bottom of the ninth, and earning the victory. The senior allowed just one baserunner on a hit, and struck out a pair on 29 pitches.

Fellow senior Cody Cooper started and took the ‘Jackets into the seventh inning tied 2-2, as he struck out five and walked four in 6 1/3 innings pitched.

Watson inherited a stressful situation with runners on second and third and only one out in the bottom of the seventh. First baseman Ryan Myers cut down the runner at the plate on an ensuing ground ball, and Watson got Adam Eskil to fly out to end what turned out to be SMU’s best scoring chance the rest of the game.

Kade Hall erased a leadoff walk in the bottom of the first, throwing out the runner attempting to steal second. The big defensive play boosted Cooper on the mound, as the senior righty retired eight of the next 10 batters he faced into the fourth inning.

Hall was responsible for the first two runs of the game offensively for MSUB, lifting his team-high third home run of the season over the fence in left in the top of the fourth. The big swing of the bat scored two runs, as it came following a double by Myers.

Cooper responded with a shutdown inning in the bottom of the fourth, but the Saints put together a one-out rally in the fifth. After loading the bases with a pair of walks and a single, SMU broke through on a two-run base hit by pinch hitter Trevor Young to even the score at 2-2.

Cooper moved to No. 7 in GNAC history with 182 career strikeouts.

Hall nearly manufactured another run for MSUB in the eighth, when he reached base on a throwing error and advanced all the way to third with two outs. Zach Stevenson was summoned from the bullpen and got the next hitter to pop out, preventing an insurance run for

Watson.

SMU starter Aaron Shoup struck out five and walked three, allowing two runs on three hits in five innings. Luke Hare and Patrick Hoeper combined to throw 2 2/3 scoreless innings of relief, keeping the game tied into the eighth inning and giving the Saints a chance to take the lead.

The Yellowjackets won despite just three hits at the plate, but played stellar defense with no errors in the field. Brandon Witherspoon went 2-for-3, and Young had the only RBIs for SMU, in a game in which the Saints had six hits and left nine runners on base.

Game 2 – MSU Billings 6, Saint Martin’s 3 A late rally by SMU in the bottom of the seventh came up short, as the Saints scored twice and left the bases loaded to end the game. Winslow was outstanding, walking just one and giving up three hits in five solid innings to earn the victory.

The ‘Jackets placed a pair of runners on base in the second with one out, but SMU starter Ryan Dorney got out of the trouble with a strikeout and groundout back to the mound. It was the start of five straight outs recorded by SMU’s starter, until he got into trouble with a leadoff walk in the top of the fourth drawn by Hall.

A base hit, error, and two more walks plated the first two runs of the game, and ended the day for Dorney with two outs and the bases still loaded. Myers drew a walk off reliever Jacob Phipps, before Hall ripped a two-run double in his second plate appearance of the inning to blow the game open at 6-0.

Dorney was responsible for all six runs, although none were earned. He struck out six and walked five, allowing two hits in 3 2/3 innings pitched.

Freshman catcher Andrew Schleusner helped Winslow overcome a two-out walk in the first inning, throwing out Caleb Feist trying to steal second to end the frame. MSUB’s sophomore right-hander found his rhythm in the middle innings, putting up zeroes through the fifth inning.

Schleusner again aided in limiting SMU’s offense, throwing out another runner attempting to steal after a leadoff single

by Cameron Mosier in the bottom of the third.

MSUB avoided a sticky situation in the bottom of the fourth, as a wild pitch and error put runners on second and third for the Saints with just one out. Winslow buckled down and stranded both runners with a strikeout and a groundout to complete a shutdown inning.

Winslow finished his career outing with back-to-back strikeouts to end the fifth, leaving MSUB six outs away from sealing the victory.

Feist helped prevent the shutout in the sixth inning, lifting a solo home run down the line in left field. Three walks, a hit, an error, and a wild pitch fueled SMU’s rally, but the ‘Jackets held on as Josh Harrington recorded the final two outs to finish the game.

THE BUZZ: Hall was selected as the St. Vincent Healthcare Player of the Day…Cooper moved to No. 7 in GNAC history with 182 career strikeouts after five on Saturday…Winslow’s previous career high of six strikeouts came on April 23, 2016 at Concordia.

COMING UP: The series concludes on Sunday, with a noon Mountain time doubleheader scheduled at Bob Williams field. Live statistics will be available online through MSUB’s Stretch Internet portal here.

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