FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT Evan O’Kelly Director of Communications O: (406) 657-2130 E: evan.okelly@msubillings.edu Saturday, March 18, 2017 MSUB baseball splits with Concordia in home opener Saturday
MSUB lets a lead slip in an 11-6 Game 1 loss, but responds with a solid 10-4 win in Game 2 behind a strong effort on the mound by Jared Winslow. BILLINGS, Mont. – Overcoming a disappointing Game 1 loss on Saturday, the Montana State University Billings baseball team rallied to win Game 2 against Great Northwest Athletic Conference foe Concordia University in the team’s 2017 home opener at Dehler Park. The Yellowjackets led as much as 6-2 as late as the sixth inning in Game 1, but nine runs over the final three frames gave the Cavaliers an 11-6 win. MSUB rebounded with a solid 10-4 triumph in Game 2, behind six innings by sophomore starter Jared Winslow. Adam Cox went 5-for-8 with multiple hits in each game, and Kade Hall, Ryan Myers, and Caje Golden each homered for the Yellowjackets. MSUB moved to 6-13 with the split and is now 4-5 in league play. The Cavaliers are 5-14 overall and 36 in the GNAC after the doubleheader.
“We told the guys in between games that we felt like we gave one away, but they bounced back in the second,” said MSUB head coach Aaron Sutton. “Winslow was outstanding on the mound, and really set the tone for us. We are starting to find a groove, and guys are starting to show some confidence out there defensively. In turn, that’s giving our pitchers a lot of confidence to pitch to contact and hopefully we can continue to do that the rest of the weekend.” CU’s Gabe Padukiewicz was 3-for-7 on the day with a home run, and Eddie Vasquez had a big three-run home run for the visitors in the comeback win in Game 1. Game 1 – Concordia 11, MSU Billings 6 A five-run seventh inning gave Concordia a 7-6 lead, and the Cavaliers put the game away with a four-run ninth inning to swipe away what appeared to be a solid 6-2 edge for the Yellowjackets. The big inning came after a game-defining swing of momentum in the bottom of the sixth inning, brought about in large part by CU replacement catcher Ben Koerner. MSUB loaded the bases with no outs in the sixth, and on a missed squeeze attempt, Koerner raced down Matt Dillon and reached to tag him on the toe just before the Yellowjacket sophomore could dive back into third base safely. A pop up and fly out promptly turned what had been a chance for MSUB to blow the game open into a scoreless inning, and the game-changing rally followed in the seventh.
Adam Cox went 5-for-8 for MSUB in a doubleheader split on Saturday.
Starter Cody Cooper pitched into the seventh inning, giving up seven runs on 10 hits with three strikeouts and a pair of walks. The crippling blow for MSUB came at the hands of Vasquez who drove Cooper from the game with a three-run shot that gave CU its first lead of the day in the seventh. It was preceded by RBIs from Andrew Barrera and Mitch Bevacqua, as the ‘Cavs rallied after posting just five total baserunners in innings three-through-six.
CU starter Tyler Charlton posted a shutdown inning in the bottom of the seventh, and finished his day with one strikeout and two walks while allowing six runs on 10 hits in seven complete frames. James Brooks earned his second save of the year, inheriting the 7-6 lead and retiring all six batters he faced with three strikeouts over the final two innings. The ’Cavs put the game out of reach in the top of the ninth, the big hit coming off the bat of Koerner as he emptied the bases with a three-run double. Koerner finished 2-for-2 with a run scored in his big game off the bench. Grabbing a 3-0 advantage out of the gate, the ‘Jackets used RBIs from Hall and Cox and an error by the ‘Cavs to establish command early on. CU responded with an RBI-double by Adam Taylor and a run-scoring hit by Cole Crosby in the second, scoring its first two runs of the day off Cooper.
Zach Robinson, who doubled to lead off the bottom of the first, roped a two-out triple in the second to set up another scoring chance. Fellow senior Casey Merritt came through with a base hit into center field, and the ‘Jackets moved ahead 4-2. Neither team scored over the next two innings, until Merritt laid down a perfect drag bunt for a leadoff single in the bottom of the fifth. Myers followed with a towering fly ball to center field that carried all the way over the fence, upping the advantage to four runs as MSUB moved ahead 6-2. It was all the scoring MSUB managed the rest of the game however, as the team squandered the bases-loaded situation in the sixth. Tanner Watson threw the final 2 2/3 innings, giving up four unearned runs on four hits with two strikeouts and a walk. Robinson had perhaps the defensive play of the day for MSUB, snagging a sinking line drive with a diving catch in the top of the eighth for the third out with a runner rounding third attempting to score. Game 2 – MSU Billings 10, Concordia 4 (7 Innings) Winslow matched his career high with six full innings pitched, and the Yellowjackets’ offense left no doubt with a four-run second and threerun fifth to ensure the win in Game 2. Winslow allowed one run in the second on a double-steal by the ‘Cavs, but was stellar with four-straight zeroes in the ensuing innings. A solo Cody Cooper moved into a tie for No. 6 in GNAC history home run by Padukiewicz to lead off the seventh ended the sophomore with 185 career strikeouts after three on Saturday. right-hander’s day, after four strikeouts and two walks with two runs allowed on four hits and 86 total pitches. “It is easy out there when the guys go out and score runs early for me,” Winslow commented after the game. “The defense played great all day, and my job is just to throw strikes. They all did well behind me.” Sam Muskat threw the final inning for the ‘Jackets, notching a pair of strikeouts to help close the victory. For CU, Jake Brewer tossed all six innings, striking out one and walking one while giving up 10 runs on 13 hits. Winslow limited the damage to a single run in the second by ending the frame with a strikeout, and the ‘Jackets carried the momentum to the plate. Michael Gahan laid down a sacrifice bunt to score the first run of the game, and Golden drilled a clutch, two-out, three-run homer to left field to cap off the early scoring outburst. Hall contributed on the defensive end by cutting down Padukiewicz in a stolen base attempt in the top of the fourth, and the ‘Jackets increased their lead to 5-1 on another RBI sacrifice bunt, by Max Hartgraves in the bottom of the inning. Hall all but put the game out of reach with a two-run home run in the bottom of the fifth, and Hartgraves drove in his second run of the game with a base hit to right field to make it 8-1.
The scoring wrapped up with back-to-back singles by Hall and Cox in the bottom of the sixth, providing enough breathing room to withstand CU’s three-run seventh inning and end the game. Hall finished 4-for-4 with three RBIs and three runs scored, and Jalen Garcia went 3-for-4 with a pair of runs scored to lead MSUB at the plate. Padukiewicz was the lone Cavalier with multiple hits in Game 2, going 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored. MSUB played error-free defense behind Winslow and struck out just once in the ballgame. THE BUZZ: Winslow was selected as the St. Vincent Healthcare Player of the Day…Hall’s four-hit game was his second of the season…Hall and Golden are tied for the team lead with four home runs apiece…Cooper upped his career strikeout total to 185, tying him for No. 6 in GNAC history. AHEAD: The series concludes on Sunday, with the teams scheduled for another 1 p.m. doubleheader at Dehler Park. Live video with play-by-play commentary and live statistics will be available online through MSUB’s Stretch Internet portal here.
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