MSUB’s season ends with 4-3 loss to NNU

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT Evan O’Kelly Director of Communications O: (406) 657-2130 E: evan.okelly@msubillings.edu Thursday, May 11, 2017 MSUB’s season ends with 4-3 loss to NNU

MSUB’s 2017 season ends on Thursday with a 4-3 loss to Northwest Nazarene University in the second round of the GNAC Championships in Portland.

PORTLAND, Ore. – Bryon Baker threw seven full innings in the final start of his Montana State University Billings baseball career, but the Yellowjackets ended their 2017 season with a narrow, 4-3 loss to Northwest Nazarene University at the Great Northwest Athletic Conference Championships Thursday at Porter Park on the campus of Concordia University.

Baker allowed four runs on four hits with four strikeouts and four walks, throwing a season-high 114 pitches in the outing. GNAC Player of the Year Billy King had a bases-clearing triple in the bottom of the third inning, and came around to score what proved to be the winning run in the only frame of the game that the Crusaders scored.

“I knew it was going to be a great game and those guys are a great team, and I’ve been resting up to come back and try to make this start,” Baker commented. “I was just looking to go out there and give everything I had for as long as I could, and unfortunately they had one big inning and it wasn’t enough.”

The four-run third by NNU was enough to back a stellar start by Ross Clevenger, who pitched into the eighth inning and scattered three runs on five hits with five strikeouts and no walks. The Crusaders moved to 24-28 on the year and advanced to a second elimination game Thursday night at 7 p.m. against Central Washington.

MSUB wound up 23-29 overall on the year, and advanced to the conference championship tournament for the third straight season. “I am proud of this group and the corner they turned in the second half of this season,” said MSUB head coach Aaron Sutton. “I’ve never seen a year with so many curveballs thrown at us, but these guys responded in a tremendous way.”

The Yellowjackets took a 2-0 lead in the top of the third inning, when NNU leftfielder Tim Jones overran a deep, high pop fly down the left-field line off the bat of Jalen Garcia. The two-run double by MSUB’s sophomore gave the team the lead temporarily, but the ‘Jackets managed just one more run the rest of the way.

Clevenger was highly efficient for NNU, getting through the first seven innings of play using just 70 pitches. Casey Merritt led off the top of the sixth inning with a triple to right-center, and scored on a ground ball by Garcia to pull MSUB within a single run.

The final hit in Casey Merritt’s career was a triple in the sixth inning on Thursday.

The Yellowjackets had a chance to score in the eighth, after Max Hartgraves led off with a single and advanced to second on a groundout. Clevenger retired the next two hitters he faced however, and the combination of Nick Bland and Brady Baker struck out the side in the ninth inning to end the game.

Conner Linebarger and Zach Robinson had the other two hits for MSUB, which managed just five in the game after picking up only four in its 4-2 loss to Western Oregon in the opening round on Wednesday.

Casey Sheehan had the final RBI of the day for NNU, bringing home King to cap off the game-winning rally in the third inning. Five different Crusaders had a hit in the game, as NNU matched MSUB’s hit total.

“I thought we played well all tournament, and I was proud to be part of this year’s team,” Baker said. “It’s hard. I’m going to miss baseball, but I just think back to all the friends I’ve made and the coaches I’ve had.”

THE BUZZ: Baker was tabbed the St. Vincent Healthcare Player of the Game…Baker finished his four-year career with 86 strikeouts in 109 2/3 innings pitched…Merritt’s triple was his fifth of the season, tying him for second most in a year in program history…Robinson scored his 52nd run of the year to build on his single-season school record.

--@MSUBSports | #JacketNation--