Bats roar in Day 1 split with Central Washington

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT Evan O’Kelly Director of Communications O: (406) 657-2130 E: evan.okelly@msubillings.edu Friday, May 5, 2017 Bats roar in Day 1 split with Central Washington

MSUB plates 19 runs to win Game 1 Friday, but the Wildcats respond with an 11-6 triumph in Game 2 for a doubleheader split at Dehler Park.

BILLINGS, Mont. – A spotless, sunny afternoon at Dehler Park prompted a slugfest between host Montana State University Billings and Central Washington University, as the Great Northwest Athletic Conference opponents split a baseball doubleheader to kick off the final series of the 2017 season.

The ‘Jackets plated nine runs in the fifth inning of Game 1 to pull away for a 19-11 victory, before the Wildcats scored six runs in the fifth to build a 10-0 lead in an eventual 11-6 win in Game 2.

MSUB moved to 21-27 on the year with the split, and remained in fourth place in the GNAC standings at 19-19 in league play. The Wildcats held onto their second-place spot in the GNAC at 23-15 in conference games, and CWU is 29-19 overall.

“Offensively, we put together some really good at-bats throughout our lineup and came up with some big knocks,” MSUB head coach Aaron Sutton commented on the Game 1 victory. “We put ourselves in a pretty big hole in Game 2, but the guys locked back in and never stopped battling.”

Casey Merritt went 4-for-8 in the doubleheader with three RBIs, three runs scored, and three stolen bases. Jalen Garcia hit his fourth home run of the year and drove in four runs in Game 1, and Caje Golden added his ninth homer of the season while driving in three in the Game 1 win.

Rory Graf-Brennen went 6-for-10 at the plate to lead the Wildcats, and GNAC-leading hitter Dylan Freyre went 4-for-8 with four RBIs and five runs scored.

Both teams struggled defensively Friday, with seven errors each in the doubleheader.

Game 1 – MSU Billings 19, Central Washington 11 The ‘Jackets established a five-run lead, as Golden and Garcia each homered in a four-run second inning. The ‘Cats got to MSUB starter Tanner Watson in the fourth however, plating six runs to take their first lead of the day.

Momentum shifted a final time in the opener as MSUB capitalized for nine runs in the fifth inning, and the ‘Jackets sealed the win with four more in the eighth.

MSUB’s patient approach worked well against CWU left-hander Mackenzie Gaul, whose pitch count rose north of 60 by the end of the second inning. Gaul made it through four frames, giving up five runs on five hits with seven strikeouts and one walk.

After the Wildcats’ big fourth frame, MSUB went to work against relievers Kyle Thompson and Kyle Blankenship in the nine-run fifth. Golden had a two-run single in the inning, Myers had a two-run knock after leading off the frame with a double, and Merritt plated a run on a 3-2 pitch that he took for ball four with the bases loaded.

Caje Golden hit his ninth home run of the year in Game 1 Friday.

Freyre led off the seventh inning with a solo home run, and Christopher Dalto cut the deficit back to five runs with an ensuing two-run blast to left that made the score 14-9.

Merritt walked, stole his way to third, and scored on a ground ball to get a run back in the seventh, and Alec Leighton capped off the final rally of the game with a pinch-hit, two-out, two-run triple in the bottom of the eighth that put the game out of reach. “I saw a lefty was coming in so I had a feeling I was going to hit, and I was just trying to stay through the ball,” Leighton commented on his first career triple.

Jared Winslow threw 3 2/3 innings in relief to earn the win, striking out four and walking one while giving up five runs on four hits. Michael Gahan allowed just one hit over the final 1 1/3 innings to finish off the victory.

Game 2 – Central Washington 11, MSU Billings 6 (7 Innings) MSUB matched CWU’s six-run fifth with six runs of its own in the bottom of the frame to turn a 10-0 deficit into a manageable 10-6 hole. It was all the ‘Jackets could score in the game however, as four early, unearned runs by the Wildcats provided enough of a cushion to back starter Jake Levin.

Levin tossed 4 1/3 innings, striking out three and walking none while giving up five runs in the fifth frame. Left-hander Dillon Larsen was outstanding over the final 2 2/3, giving up just one unearned run and notching five strikeouts among the eight outs he recorded.

Fielding miscues were the root of the early deficit for MSUB, as CWU took advantage of two errors and a passed ball in the third inning to score three runs.

A double by Garcia and a single by Tanner Watson were the only two baserunners Levin allowed through the first four innings, and by the time MSUB rallied in the fifth the deficit was too large to overcome.

Four straight singles started the rally, and Merritt brought home the first two runs of the game by shooting the gap in right-center for a double.

Leighton came through with another pinch-hit, RBI-hit, and Garcia scored on a groundout by Conner Linebarger. After ending the long fifth inning, Larsen allowed only a double to Merritt over the final two innings to help his team salvage a split on the day.

Casey Merritt went 4-for-8 in Friday’s doubleheader, including a pair of doubles in Game 2.

Dalto had the big swing of the bat in the six-run fifth inning for CWU, clearing the bases with a three-run double into the left-field corner with one out. Dalto was one of three Wildcats with two hits in the nightcap, and CWU played a cleaner game with just one error compared with six in Game 1.

MSUB starter Cody Cooper pitched into the fifth inning, striking out two and walking one while giving up 10 runs on eight hits. Bryon Baker struck out three hitters and didn’t walk any over the final 1 2/3 innings out of the bullpen.

THE BUZZ: Merritt was picked as the St. Vincent Healthcare Player of the Day…the senior moved within two stolen bases of tying teammate Zach Robinson and Kyle Pryor for the MSUB single-season record of 17 steals…Cooper struck out two batters, upping his career total to 230…the senior needs two more strikeouts in his final career start next week to tie the MSUB record of 232 held by Brady Muller…Golden is now second on the team behind Myers in home runs.

NEXT UP: Senior Day is scheduled for Saturday, as MSUB’s six graduating players will be honored in a pre-game ceremony on the field. Merritt, Robinson, Baker, Watson, Cooper, and Matt Hape will be recognized prior to first pitch, which is scheduled for 1 p.m. Live video with play-by-play commentary and live statistics will be available through MSUB’s Stretch Internet portal here.

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