Yellowjacket baseball picked second in GNAC preseason poll

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT Evan O’Kelly Director of Communications O: (406) 657-2130 E: evan.okelly@msubillings.edu Thursday, January 28, 2016 Yellowjacket baseball picked second in GNAC preseason poll

MSUB’s baseball team is picked to finish second behind Western Oregon in the 2016 GNAC baseball preseason coaches’ poll.

PORTLAND, Ore. – Receiving 24 points in the 2016 Great Northwest Athletic Conference baseball preseason coaches’ poll, Montana State University Billings has been picked to finish in second place among the six conference teams announced Thursday.

The reigning GNAC regular-season champion, MSUB is coming off its first winning season since the baseball program was restored in 2006 with a 27-23 overall record and 22-10 mark in league play in 2015. The ‘Jackets won 20 of their final 25 conference games to storm to the GNAC title and claim hosting rights for last year’s GNAC tournament.

Topping the preseason poll was Western Oregon University, which received 5 of 6 first-place votes and claimed 35 of 36 possible points. MSUB’s title last year prevented the Wolves from grabbing the regular season championship for the 14th year in-a-row, but WOU still finished the season 29-24 overall and 21-11 in GNAC play before winning the conference tournament last May at Dehler Park.

Central Washington University and Northwest Nazarene University tied for third place with 22 points apiece, with the Wildcats earning the other first-place vote that didn’t go WOU’s way. New GNAC member Concordia University (Ore.) earned 14 points to finish in fifth place, while Saint Martin’s University rounded out the field with nine points in sixth.

MSUB’s 2016 season starts with five games in St. George, Utah from Feb. 12-14, as the ‘Jackets take on Holy Names University and Dixie State University. MSUB’s other preseason opponent will be Metro State University, in a four-game set in Denver from Feb. 19-21.

Conference play begins on March 4 at Central Washington, in the first of 40 straight GNAC games in the race to the conference tournament. MSUB’s home opener is set for March 19 with a doubleheader against Concordia University at Dehler Park. The regular-season champion will earn the right to host the 2016 GNAC Baseball Championships, which are scheduled for May 12-14.

‘Jackets versus the GNAC – 2015 (Sorted by 2016 preseason rank) Opponent Road 4-Game Series 1. Western Oregon Won 1, Lost 3 T3. Central Washington Won 2, Lost 2 T3. Northwest Nazarene Won 4 5. Concordia ---Did Not Play--6. Saint Martin’s Won 4 Total Won 11, Lost 5 Won 3 series, lost 1; 2 series sweeps.

Home 4-Game Series Won 2, Lost 2 Won 3, Lost 1 Won 3, Lost 1 ---Did Not Play--Won 3, Lost 1 Won 11, Lost 5

--@MSUBSports | #JacketNation--

Cumulative Record Won 3, Lost 5 Won 5, Lost 3 Won 7, Lost 1 ---Did Not Play--Won 7, Lost 1 Won 22, Lost 10