FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT Evan O’Kelly Director of Communications O: (406) 657-2130 E: evan.okelly@msubillings.edu Thursday, February 9, 2017 Cassinelli’s walk-off HR gives MSUB split on Day 1 at Dixie
Cameron Cassinelli hits MSUB’s second walk-off home run in as many days, as the Yellowjackets earn a split on Day 1 of the Dixie State tournament with a 5-4 win over CSU San Bernardino and an 11-3 loss to No. 18 Cal Baptist. ST. GEORGE, Utah – With two strikes, two outs, and Montana State University Billings trailing 4-3 in the bottom of the seventh, junior Cameron Cassinelli launched a game-winning two-run home run over the right-field fence to give the Yellowjackets a thrilling 5-4 win over Cal State University San Bernardino Thursday afternoon at Canyons Softball Complex. Cassinelli’s third homer of the year helped the Yellowjackets (3-8) earn a split on Day 1 of the Easton Softball Classic hosted by Dixie State University, after MSUB fell to No. 18 Cal Baptist 11-3 in six innings earlier on Thursday. “That was a huge win, and our team really showed fight,” said MSUB head coach Jessica Rayman after the win in Game 2. “Maddy really set the tone for us, and was huge for us out on the mound. Our offense just continued to fight, with Nikki getting two doubles, and that was huge. Getting momentum and keeping it was awesome.”
Freshman left-hander Maddy Lincoln threw her best game of the year against the Coyotes, allowing just one earned run while striking out four in a complete-game performance to earn her second win of the season. “That was really fun,” Lincoln said after throwing 105 pitches. “Knowing that my team had my back the whole time is what got me through it.” Nicole Tiffany hit her first home run of the year in Game 1, and added a pair of doubles off the wall in right-center in Game 2 to lead the ‘Jacket offense on the day. Bella Rovens and Heather Tracy each had three hits for MSUB as well. Game 1 – No. 18 Cal Baptist 11, MSU Billings 3 (6 Innings)
Nikki Tiffany had a home run in Game 1 and a pair of doubles off the wall in Game 2 in a productive day at the plate for the ‘Jackets on Thursday.
After a 1-2-3 top of the first inning by CBU pitcher Kellye Springstead, London Miller pushed the Lancers ahead with a tworun home run off MSUB starter Megan Dettling in the bottom of the frame.
The Yellowjackets battled back and evened the score in the top of the second, as Tiffany lifted her long ball over the wall in left center and drove in Kelsey Devlin. An RBI-single by Tracy in the top of the third inning put the Yellowjackets ahead, but the Lancers began to pull away with a big inning at the plate. A hit batter, walk, illegal pitch, and consecutive singles kept the Lancer runners moving around the bases, as CBU built a 7-2 advantage by the time the ‘Jackets finally recorded the third out in the bottom of the third. Taking over for Springstead after the second inning, Ashley Coleman tossed a perfect shutdown inning with a pair of strikeouts in the top of the fourth. Coleman earned the win in the game, allowing no runs on two hits with three strikeouts and no walks in four innings pitched. While the ‘Jackets had no solution for Coleman in the circle, Caitlyn Lloyd plated a run with an RBI-bunt in the fourth to make the score 8-3. MSUB right-hander Taylor Tokach recorded three outs against four batters to hold CBU scoreless in the fifth, but the Lancers ended the game early with a three-run sixth inning. Miller hit her second homer of the game, directly after Soraya Shahbazian hit one out, and an RBI-bunt by Deana Alarcon sealed the 8-run win for the No. 18 team in the NCAA. The ‘Jackets made just one defensive miscue, but managed only six hits in the loss to the Lancers. Game 2 – MSU Billings 5, Cal State San Bernardino 4 Lincoln came out on the winning end of her gem, despite the ‘Jackets being up against their final strike in the bottom of the seventh. Cassinelli followed in Dettling’s footsteps, as she mimicked her fellow junior’s game-ending home run from Thursday’s 7-6 win over UC Colorado Springs.
“I was struggling a bit at the plate all day, so I was going into that at-bat swinging hard,” Cassinelli said. “There were two outs, and I was the last one up, so I just got the job done.” The dramatic home run came after Cassinelli had been called upon to lay down a sacrifice bunt two innings earlier. The game-winning hit was set up after Myrissa Prince reached on a throwing error, and it spoiled an equallyimpressive pitching performance by CSUSB’s Cassandra Williams. The left-hander allowed five runs – two earned – on eight hits with three strikeouts and two walks before falling to 4-2 on the season on her final pitch of the game. Lincoln meanwhile moved to 2-4, giving up four runs – one earned – on eight hits with four strikeouts and one walk. Early defensive miscues put the ‘Jackets into a hole, but MSUB’s infield atoned for its mistakes with several clutch plays when it mattered most. Jessica Bagnell and Prince turned a 6-4-3 double play to end Freshman left-hander Maddy Lincoln pitched MSUB to victory with a the second inning, and each player had her range tested in gutsy, 105-pitch complete game against CSU San Bernardino. the top of the seventh inning. Morgan Ratliff, the Coyotes’ speedy centerfielder, led off the seventh with a sharp ground ball that appeared to be headed into center field. Prince dove to her right and snagged it on the backhand, throwing to first just in time to keep the bases empty. Bagnell followed with a backhanded play deep in her hole on the next hitter, showing off her range and firing a long strike across the diamond to Cassinelli at first. “Those (plays) are so much fun, and my favorite thing is seeing my teammates do something good,” Lincoln responded when asked about the big defensive plays behind her. “It gets me pumped and excited, and makes me want to do even better.” THE BUZZ: Lincoln was selected as the St. Vincent Healthcare Player of the Day…the freshman has allowed just two extra-base hits – both doubles – in her last 14 innings pitched…Cassinelli became the fourth player currently on MSUB’s roster to have hit a walk-off home run in her career, joining Dettling, Prince, and Rovens…MSUB is now 3-4 all-time against CSUSB and 0-4 against Cal Baptist…three of the team’s last four games have been decided by one run, two of which have been victories for MSUB. COMING UP: The ‘Jackets have another doubleheader on Friday, as they take on Concordia University-Irvine at 10 a.m. and UC Colorado Springs immediately afterwards at 12:30 p.m. Both games will feature live stats, available online at www.msubsports.com. --@MSUBSports | #JacketNation--