FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT Evan O’Kelly Director of Communications O: (406) 657-2130 E: evan.okelly@msubillings.edu Sunday, March 19, 2017 MSUB softball wins series over WOU with split Sunday
Kelsey Devlin and Cameron Cassinelli homer and Maddy Lincoln tosses a complete game in a 5-3 win, and the ‘Jackets drop a thrilling extra-inning shootout 19-18 in Game 2. BILLINGS, Mont. – Cameron Cassinelli and Kelsey Devlin each hit two-run home runs to back another complete game by Maddy Lincoln, helping the Montana State University Billings softball team clinch a series win over Great Northwest Athletic Conference opponent Western Oregon University Sunday afternoon at Avitus Group Stadium. The Yellowjackets held off the Wolves for a 5-3 triumph in Game 1, and ended the series with a bang by scoring 10 runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to tie Game 2 18-18. The Wolves salvaged a win by scoring a run in the top of the eighth, despite the ‘Jackets again putting the tying run on base in the bottom of the inning. MSUB added to its GNAC-leading home run total of 36 with six long balls in the game, three of which came in the monstrous seventh inning in Game 2. Megan Dettling homered twice in the inning, and Emma Tucker hit her first
collegiate home run – a grand slam – to highlight the rally. Nicole Tiffany also cleared the fence to help MSUB stay alive in Game 2, as the offense plated 23 total runs in the doubleheader. “They showed a lot of fight, so I couldn’t be more proud of them for that,” MSUB head coach Jessica Rayman commented on her squad after the games. “Overall it was a solid weekend, and to take three out of four against Western Oregon is really good.” MSUB moved to 12-17 overall with the split, and is at an even 8-8 in GNAC play this season. The Wolves are now 10-9 overall, and are 1-3 in league play after the series loss in Billings. Game 1 – MSU Billings 5, Western Oregon 3 Devlin did the damage both in the first and fifth innings, driving in three of the team’s five runs to back Lincoln in the circle. The senior roped a double down the left-field line to score Bella Rovens in the bottom of the first, and Cassinelli followed with a long home run to center to make the score 3-0. Lincoln retired the side in order for a shutdown inning in the second, but the Wolves tied the game with three runs in the top of the third. A big two-out double by Jenna Kelly brought home a pair of unearned runs, as the Wolves took advantage of a fielding error by MSUB to even the score. Lincoln was nearly untouchable the rest of the game, allowing just two baserunners and putting up zeroes over the final four innings. The freshman left-hander retired the final seven batters that she faced, needing just 76 pitches to get through a complete game. “My curveball was on this weekend, and I just Freshman Maddy Lincoln logged her 10th complete game of the focused on getting in the strike zone so they could swing away season in the Game 1 victory Sunday. and my defense could work behind me,” said Lincoln. “They are a super aggressive team, so I knew if I hit my spots that my defense could get to work.” The game was decided in the bottom of the fifth, when Heather Tracy ripped a one-out single to bring Devlin to the plate. The senior drove her 27th career home run over the fence in left, breaking the tie and providing what proved to be the game-winning swing of the bat. WOU starter Haley Fabian struck out seven and walked four, while giving up five runs on seven hits and throwing all six innings in the circle. No Wolf had more than one hit off Lincoln in the opener, as she scattered five hits and had one walk and one strikeout on the game. Game 2 – Western Oregon 19, MSU Billings 18 (8 Innings) Thirty-seven total runs crossed the plate in a game that featured a rain delay, and eight-run inning for WOU, and a 10run frame for the ‘Jackets.
With the Yellowjackets trailing 18-8 to start the seventh, Dettling lined a two-run homer over the fence in right-center to get the scoring started. A pair of walks and a single loaded the bases for Tucker with two outs, and the team erupted in celebration as her deep drive to center went into and out of the glove of WOU centerfielder Zoe Clark before landing beyond the fence. “I knew coming up it was a big situation with the bases loaded, and that we had to get some runs scored,” Tucker commented on her approach at the plate. “It felt good off my bat, and it was a really exciting moment. It felt good to come in to my teammates screaming and being excited for me.” Dettling worked a full count before clearing the fence with the most dramatic swing of the day, tying the game at 18-18 with a three-run shot and sending it to extra frames. Determined to get out of town with a win, WOU took advantage of two walks and used an RBI-single from Kelly to snatch back the lead in the top of the eighth. The ‘Jackets again put the tying run into scoring position, but Tracy ended the game with a groundout and the Wolves avoided being swept.
Emma Tucker rounds third base after hitting her first-career home run – a grand slam – in MSUB’s 10-run seventh inning in Game 2 Sunday.
Each team used three pitchers in the slugfest, with the Wolves striking out just once and the ‘Jackets going down on strikes six times. Seventeen of MSUB’s runs went down as earned, while 14 of WOU’s were earned, and the visiting staff threw a whopping 247 pitches to get through the game. The lead changed hands early on, with each team scoring a pair of runs in the first and WOU building a 7-3 lead after the top of the fourth. Though the ‘Jackets got to within one, down 7-6, WOU pushed across eight runs in the sixth to blow the game open. Destiny Kuehl and Hailee Watilo had two-run hits in the inning, and the score read 15-6 by the time the frame ended 12 batters later. Tiffany prevented a run-rule win for WOU with a one-out, pinch-hit, two-run homer in the bottom of the sixth, keeping the door open for MSUB’s incredible rally in the seventh. Kelly finished 4-for-6 with four RBIs and Kuehl ended the game with six batted in for Western Oregon. Tracy went 4-for-7 at the plate and Dettling drove in six to lead the Yellowjackets in the wild series finale. THE BUZZ: Devlin was selected as the St. Vincent Healthcare Player of the Day…Rovens drew four walks on the day, pushing her career total to 81 and giving her sole possession of first place in MSUB history…Tracy’s strikeout in Game 1 was just her second of the year…Devlin and Cassinelli remain tied for fourth in MSUB history with 27 career home runs apiece…the multi-home run game was the second of the year for Dettling, after she tied a GNAC record with three home runs in a game against UC Colorado Springs in February…the complete game was the 10th of the year for Lincoln.
COMING UP: A nonconference series awaits MSUB next weekend, as the Yellowjackets travel to Minot, N.D. to face Minot State University in a doubleheader on March 26. The two games are scheduled for a noon first pitch, and live stats will be available through www.msubsports.com. --@MSUBSports | #JacketNation--