Late leads slip as MSUB drops DH to WOU Friday

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT Evan O’Kelly Director of Communications O: (406) 657-2130 E: evan.okelly@msubillings.edu Friday, April 14, 2017 Late leads slip as MSUB drops DH to WOU Friday

Holding the lead late in each ballgame Friday, MSUB’s baseball team falls in a pair of home games against Western Oregon University at Dehler Park.

BILLINGS, Mont. – Leading with six outs left to get in each game of a Great Northwest Athletic Conference doubleheader Friday at Dehler Park, the Montana State University Billings baseball team couldn’t hold on as visiting Western Oregon University won both games and remained in first in the league standings.

The ‘Jackets led 7-6 after the seventh inning in Game 1, before WOU rallied for eight runs over the final two innings to seal a 14-2 win. The ‘Jackets then built a 6-2 lead through five innings in the 7-inning nightcap, but allowed six runs to the Wolves over the final two frames in a tough 8-7 loss.

“I thought some of our guys had really good performances today, and we put ourselves in a position to win both games,” said MSUB head coach Aaron Sutton. “That is something we have done all year long, but we just need to get over the hump.”

The Yellowjackets are now 13-23 overall this year and remain in fourth place in the GNAC at 11-15 in league play. WOU meanwhile is now 18-8 overall and 17-5 in conference play.

Tanner Watson went 4-for-6 at the plate in the doubleheader, and pitched the ‘Jackets into the sixth inning in his start on the mound in Game 2. Conner Linebarger was 4-for-9 on the day, and Zach Robinson tied a GNAC record with four stolen bases in the nightcap while also hitting his second home run of the year. “Zach really got us going, and he is a guy who plays free and easy,” Sutton commented on the senior.

“Tanner had an outstanding game, and he is giving us all he’s got. He is a competitor, and he is doing everything he can here in his senior year. I am extremely proud of him.”

FINISHING WHAT THEY STARTED: The afternoon started with the completion of a halted game from March 6, which the Wolves were leading 7-0 in the middle of the sixth inning. WOU scored three times in the bottom of the sixth, and recorded the final three defensive outs, to make a 10-0 victory official on its season record.

Game 1 – Western Oregon 14, MSU Billings 7 Staring a 6-2 deficit in the face, MSUB rattled off five runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to pull the game into its favor. Watson, who had come on as a pinch hitter two innings earlier and lined the first pitch he saw into right field for a hit, repeated the feat by jumping on another first pitch and plating two runs with a single. Linebarger followed with an RBI-hit, and Max Hartgraves atoned for hitting into an inning-ending double-play the previous frame by connecting on a huge two-out, tworun single that gave the ‘Jackets the lead.

Senior Zach Robinson tied a GNAC record with four stolen bases in Game 2 Friday.

The Wolves were quick to respond however, sending 11 men to the plate in the top of the eighth and scoring six times to regain a 12-7 advantage. Niles Nygaard had the big swing of the bat in the frame, breaking the 7-7 tie with a basesclearing, three-run double to left center. Jay Leverett capped the scoring with a sacrifice fly to right-center, pushing the game out of reach for the ‘Jackets.

WOU added a pair of insurance runs in the top of the ninth, on back-to-back RBI-singles by Justin Wakem and Nygaard to make it 14-7. Though the Wolves had to come back to win the game, they led after the top of the first when they plated a run on an error by the ‘Jackets. The visitors then struck for three more in the top of the fourth, on a two-run single by Brock Pradere and a two-out base knock by Connor McCord.

Starter Jake Simmons had control of the game by then, and wound up scattering six hits over six strong innings, while striking out three and walking three and giving up two runs in the no-decision. Elias Bedolla earned the win on the mound, giving up three hits in 2 1/3 scoreless relief innings.

MSUB starter Matt Hape pitched into the fourth inning, giving up four runs on five hits with a strikeout and two walks.

Tristan Shockley stood out in 3 2/3 relief frames, limiting WOU to a pair of runs on six hits.

WOU’s Torreahno Sweet went 4-for-5 with two RBIs, and Nygaard finished 3-for-4 with four RBIs in the opener.

Game 2 – Western Oregon 8, MSU Billings 7 (7 Innings) The Yellowjackets were in solid shape with a 6-2 lead after five innings, but another big inning by the Wolves’ offense turned the tables late in the game. Nygaard and Joey Crunkilton each drove in a pair of runs in a five-run sixth inning, that shifted momentum and put the lead back into the hands of WOU. Robinson’s solo home run in the bottom of the frame tied the score at 7-7, but Sweet plated the game-winning run with an RBI-groundout in the top of the seventh to give the Wolves the doubleheader sweep.

Reigning GNAC Pitcher of the Year Brady Miller plunked Robinson with the first pitch of the ballgame, setting up a historic trip around the bases for the senior. Walking into his lead off first and second, Robinson proceeded to steal both bases to make his way to third with two outs. In a two-strike count and Watson at the plate, Robinson took off in a risky straight steal of home, and slid in safely for his third stolen base of the inning to make the score 1-0.

Robinson tied the GNAC single-game steals record with another swipe in the fourth inning, as the trail runner in a double-steal with Matt Dillon.

Miller and Watson exchanged efficient middle innings, before MSUB drove WOU’s ace from the game with a three-run fourth inning. Hartgraves delivered another clutch two-out RBI-single, and Robinson followed with a two-run base hit to center that made the score 4-1.

The Wolves chipped away to get a run back in the fifth, but an RBI-double by Watson and a sacrifice fly by Caje Golden pushed MSUB’s advantage to 6-2 by the end of the frame.

Pinch hitter Jarod Paul laced his first-career hit into right field to put the tying run on base in the bottom of the seventh, but WOU closer Kade Mechals struck out the next three hitters to slam the door for his fifth save of the year.

THE BUZZ: Watson was picked as the St. Vincent Healthcare Player of the Day…among the 13 7-inning league games MSUB has played this year, seven have been decided by a single run, two have gone to extra innings, and five have ended in walk-off fashion…the Wolves are now 6-0 this season against the ‘Jackets…TJ Andricopoulos made his first career appearance on the mound in Game 1…Golden and Hartgraves each made their first career appearance as pitchers in Game 2.

NEXT UP: The series will be completed Saturday afternoon, with another 1 p.m. doubleheader scheduled between the teams at Dehler Park. Live video with play-by-play commentary and live statistics will be available for all four games through MSUB’s Stretch Internet portal here.

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