FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT Evan O’Kelly Director of Communications O: (406) 657-2130 E: evan.okelly@msubillings.edu Saturday, March 12, 2016 MSUB finishes series at NNU with split Saturday
Luke Reinschmidt goes 5-for-6 with four RBIs and a home run, and Cody Cooper strikes out 10 in a complete game in an 11-2 win in Game 1, but MSUB falls in the series finale 3-1 at Northwest Nazarene as the teams split with two wins apiece. NAMPA, Idaho – Luke Reinschmidt became the first player in Montana State University Billings baseball history to have two career five-hit games, as he homered and drove in four runs in a 5-for-6 performance to back Yellowjacket starter Cody Cooper’s 10-strikeout, complete game effort in a dominant 11-2 win over Northwest Nazarene University in Game 1 of a Great Northwest Athletic Conference doubleheader Saturday at Vail Baseball Field. The Crusaders overcame a 1-0 deficit in Game 2 however, and Justin Pilgrim and Blake Mitchell combined on the mound to silence MSUB’s bats as NNU won 3-1 and the four-game series split with each team winning two games. Adam Cox hit his third home run of the season and Kyle Durbin added his first in Game 1, as a big six-run sixth inning highlighted a strong offensive showing.
“Cody and Drew were exceptional today, and in Game 1 Luke had a great game and really gave us the offensive spark we needed,” said MSUB head coach Rob Bishop. “We competed hard in the last game, but really struggled to get anything going offensively. NNU is a very explosive team, and they have quality arms. It was a hard-fought series start-to-finish.” Game 1 – MSU Billings 11, Northwest Nazarene 2 Cooper earned his third victory of the season on the mound, as he walked just two and scattered five hits in his first complete game of the year. Only one of the two runs Cooper surrendered was earned, and he did not allow a runner past second base after the third inning. Reinschmidt got the scoring started for MSUB with an RBI-double in the third inning, and also had three singles and his team-best fifth home run of the year while scoring three times. The Crusaders struck first, continuing the series-long theme of power as Ryan Johnson hit a solo home run off of Cooper in the second. The ‘Jackets responded in the third, as Zach Robinson and Reinschmidt hit back-to-back doubles. The latter flew around to score from second on a ground out and a throwing error by the Crusaders, and the ‘Jackets took a 2-1 lead. Reinschmidt struck again in the fifth, hitting a solo home run for the second straight game. Robinson came through with a big two-out RBI single in the sixth, starting a three-run rally that made the score 6-2 in favor of the ‘Jackets. Cox put the finishing touches on the rally, as he lifted a three-run home run to right field that made it 9-2. Durbin added his third career home run – and second at Vail Field – in the seventh, a solo shot to right off of Brandon Mozzone. Junior Cody Cooper threw his first complete game of the year on Saturday, striking out 10 Crusaders in MSUB’s 11-2 victory in Game 1.
The Crusaders put a pair of runners on in the bottom of the seventh, but Cooper struck out the next two batters to strand a pair.
NNU starter Ross Clevenger gave up eight runs on nine hits with seven strikeouts and two walks, but only three of those runs were earned. Four relievers finished the game after Clevenger’s 5 2/3 innings, and Blake Adkins and Darren Crosby allowed just two hits in the final two innings. Robinson was 2-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI, and catcher Landon Peterson scored a pair of runs for the ‘Jackets. Game 2 – Northwest Nazarene 3, MSU Billings 1 (7 Innings) Pilgrim gave up four hits and one run in five innings, and Mitchell earned the two-inning save by not allowing a baserunner in the sixth or seventh.
Colter Sternhagen hit a double off the wall in left field that scored Kevin Toon and gave MSUB a 1-0 lead in the second inning. He and Durbin were left on second and third to end the frame however, which wound up being MSUB’s best scoring chance for the rest of the game. Yellowjacket starter Drew Christina worked himself into a jam in the third, as NNU put runners on second and third with no outs. The senior left hander struck out the next three batters however, keeping the 1-0 lead intact for the time being. Kyle Redford led off the bottom of the fourth with a base hit, and Colton McCluskey drew a walk to set Andrew Helmstadter up with two runners on and one out. The Crusaders’ leadoff man ripped a two-run double down the leftfield line, giving his team the lead for the first time all day. It was Redford again who set up NNU’s next scoring chance, as he followed Helmstadter’s lead and punched a double into the corner in left field. Tucker Campbell came through with an RBI-single, and Cox found himself in a jam on the mound with two runners in scoring position and no outs. Durbin snagged a sharp grounder at third, Cox struck out Tyler Davis, and the ‘Jackets caught McCluskey at the plate as the damage was limited to two runs. The narrow lead was more than Mitchell needed however, as three straight ground outs in the top of the seventh inning ended the game. Christina had seven strikeouts but walked seven, as he allowed two runs on four hits in five innings. THE BUZZ: Cooper was selected as the St. Vincent Healthcare Player of the Day…it was his third-career 10-strikeout game, and second of the season…it was Cooper’s first-career 9-inning complete game…Reinschmidt is now No. 1 in MSUB history in career four-RBI games as Saturday marked his fourth…Reinschmidt also stole a base and is a perfect 5for-5 in that department this season…MSUB’s last three-home run game as a team was last year against Northwest Nazarene on April 24 in Billings…the four hits for MSUB in Game 2 tied for the team’s season low, which the ‘Jackets also had against Dixie State on Feb. 12. COMING UP: The Yellowjackets are set for their 2016 home opener, as a four-game series against Concordia awaits MSUB at Dehler Park on March 19-20. --@MSUBSports | #JacketNation--