FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT Evan O’Kelly Director of Communications O: (406) 657-2130 E: evan.okelly@msubillings.edu Wednesday, April 20, 2016 Yellowjackets wrap up 2016 at home this weekend, Senior Day Friday
MSUB’s softball team finishes its 2016 season at home this weekend with a four-game series against GNAC opponent Northwest Nazarene University at Avitus Group Stadium. BILLINGS, Mont. – Four games remain on the schedule for the Montana State University Billings softball team, as the Yellowjackets will wrap up the 2016 season at home this weekend against Great Northwest Athletic Conference opponent Northwest Nazarene University at Avitus Group Stadium. Doubleheaders are set for 1 p.m. on Friday and noon on Saturday, and live video with play-by-play commentary and live statistics will be available for all four games through MSUB’s Stretch Internet portal here. The Yellowjackets (11-35, 3-21 GNAC) are coming off a doubleheader split against Concordia University last weekend that helped the team salvage a victory in the four game series. The Crusaders enter this week’s series in seventh place in the conference standings with an overall record of 16-26 and a mark of 10-14 in conference play. “Getting a win against Concordia was really big for us as a team,” said MSUB head coach Rebekah Gasner. “We are just hoping to have a good outing for our final four games of the year, and make sure that we honor our seniors really well.”
The Yellowjackets’ three graduating seniors, Cori Gammon, Haley Rowe, and Amanda Roark, will be honored in a pregame ceremony on Friday. Gammon and Roark are both four-year letterwinners in the program, and Rowe, a Billings native, is in her second season with the ‘Jackets after transferring from Williston State College in 2015. CORI’S CAREER CLOSING: In Gammon’s four seasons with the ‘Jackets, she has amassed 499 at bats which is the sixthhighest total in program history. Saving her best season for last, Gammon has started 46 games this year and is batting .305. Gammon has totaled 133 hits in her career and has started 158 games in her four seasons with the ‘Jackets. She also needs just two more runs to break into MSUB’s top-10 in that category as she currently has 85, and one more steal as she has 13. Gammon has never hit into a double play and has hit three home runs in her career. MSUB’s fifth-leading hitter this season, Gammon has a career-high 13 assists from her spot in left field, and also has personal bests in hits (46) and runs scored (27). “It’s been a fun ride and it’s sad that it’s all coming to an end, but it’s been a great experience and I’m happy I came to MSUB,” Gammon said. “It’s going to be pretty surreal (this weekend), and I’m just going to try to take it in moment-bymoment. Hopefully we can go out with a bang.”
Seniors Amanda Roark (from left), Cori Gammon, and Haley Rowe will play their final games as Yellowjackets this weekend.
ROARK REACHES END OF CAREER: Another four-year player for the ‘Jackets, senior right-handed pitcher Amanda Roark will play her final games at MSUB this weekend as well. Roark leads the GNAC in appearances this season with 32, a total that ranks fifth-most in MSUB single-season history. Roark is nearing MSUB’s top-10 in single-season innings pitched, as she needs just three more to reach that mark.
Roark’s 220 career innings are ninth-most in MSUB history, as are her 68 career appearances in the circle. This weekend’s games will be the final of her career playing with her sister Jordyn Roark, who is a sophomore shortstop for the ‘Jackets. “It has been exciting and fun, and it’s really sad that it’s ending,” Roark commented on her career at MSUB. “Playing with my sister is awesome, and she is so charismatic. Playing with her the past 20 years has been awesome, especially in college.” ROWE BIDS FAREWELL TO HOMETOWN TEAM: Roark will also get to pitch to fellow senior Haley Rowe a final time this weekend, as the latter transferred to MSUB in 2015 after two years at Williston State College. A Billings native and Charles M. Russell High School graduate, Rowe is batting .255 this year with six doubles, two home runs, and a dozen RBIs for the ‘Jackets.
Senior catcher Haley Rowe has started 42 of 46 games this season behind the plate for the ‘Jackets.
Starting 42 of the team’s 46 games behind the plate, Rowe has 14 assists on the year and has caught 13 runners attempting to steal. “I’m really excited for our last games and just to play all-out,” Rowe said. “I have grown as a person here and have become more confident in my abilities. My relationship with Amanda has been great, and we have really grown as a battery.”
FEATHER HEATHER: Heather Tracy, the GNAC’s leading hitter, went 8-for-11 with two home runs and three RBIs in MSUB’s four-game series against Concordia. Tracy also scored three runs and had three stolen bases on the weekend. She sparked MSUB’s lone win in the series with a solo home run in the bottom of the first inning of Game 3. Tracy also played perfect defense in right field, making five catches and coming up with the defensive play of the weekend. With two runners on and two out, Tracy tracked down a ball in the corner and threw out CU’s leadoff hitter at third base to end the inning. Tracy’s throw from the fence went straight through the cutoff and was perfectly on line to third base. Tracy now leads all players in the conference with a .458 batting average and is No. 1 in on-base percentage at .492. Tracy is third in slugging (.720) and stolen bases (14), first in triples (3), and 10th in home runs (7). Tracy still has a chance to reach MSUB’s single-season batting average record of .466, and her stolen base total is tied for fourth-most in an MSUB single season. Tracy’s career stolen base total of 24 is seventh-best all-time for the ‘Jackets. MSUB Career Stolen Bases Leaders Rk. Name SBs 1. Jessica Frank 35 2. Steph Gosselin 31 3. Stevie Howard 29 4. Terina Stacks 27 Bella Rovens 27 6. Bobbie Lee 26 7. Heather Tracy 24 8. Rosie Harrington 21 9. Whitney Whittemore 20
Years 2005-08 2006-09 2008-10 2006-09 2014-16 2009-12 2015-16 2011-13 2009-10
Sophomore Heather Tracy leads the GNAC with a .458 batting average and is No. 7 in MSUB history with 24 career steals.
ROVENS RUNNING TOWARDS RECORDS: Junior center fielder Bella Rovens has proven to be one of the most proficient offensive players ever at MSUB throughout her career, and needs nine more steals to break MSUB’s career record of 35. With five hits in the series against Concordia, Rovens is now No. 10 in MSUB history with 155 through her first three seasons. Rovens’s career batting average of .347 is currently the eighth-best in Yellowjacket history, and she needs seven more runs scored to break MSUB’s record of 118. MSUB Career Hits Leaders Rk. Name Hits 1. Terina Stacks 212 2. Emily Osborn 190 3. Steph Gosselin 189 4. Aubrey Conceicao 163 5. Kelly Parsons 162 Taylor Hoke 162 7. Jenna Hacke 159 8. Christy Wankel 158 9. Cami Rainey 157 10. Bella Rovens 155
Years 2006-09 2012-15 2006-09 2012-15 2008-11 2012-15 2005-08 2003-06 2002-05 2014-16
Junior Bella Rovens broke into MSUB’s career top-10 in hits as she has 155 through her first three seasons.
DETTLING’S DOMINANT WEEKEND: After battling injuries over the last month, Megan Dettling recorded her best outing since March 19 and pitched the ‘Jackets to a win that snapped a 12-game losing streak. Dettling pitched in 3 of 4 games on the weekend, totaling 15 strikeouts in 10 innings, and giving up just four runs on nine hits. In Game 3, Dettling had six strikeouts and allowed just three runs on six hits in five innings, as she earned her sixth win of the year. Facing a jam with the bases loaded and only one out in the third inning, Dettling was at her finest. She struck out Concordia’s third-place hitter in an 11-pitch at-bat, coaxing a swing-and-miss after four-straight foul balls with a full count. Dettling then struck out CU’s cleanup hitter on five pitches to strand the bases full and protect a 1-0 lead. Dettling’s 121 pitches were the fourth-most she has thrown in a game this season. Dettling also threw a perfect inning in the series-opener, striking out the side in the fifth. In Game 2, Dettling started and allowed just two runs on three hits in four innings with six strikeouts. CAM CHASING HOME RUNS MARK: Sophomore Cameron Cassinelli is the 12th player in MSUB history to reach double figures in home runs in a season, and her 10 this year have pushed her career total to 16. Cassinelli needs two more home runs to break into MSUB’s top-10. She is also on pace to challenge MSUB’s career RBIs mark of 136, as she exactly half that total with 68 through her first two seasons. Sophomore Megan Dettling was stellar last weekend with 15 strikeouts in 10 innings over three appearances.
DEVLIN KNOCKS IN TWO WITH BIG DOUBLE: Kelsey Devlin had a big tworun double in MSUB’s win over the Cavaliers last Sunday, and has had her best year yet in terms of power numbers at the plate. Adding nine home
runs on the year, Devlin now has 17 in her three-year career. Devlin has also been solid with the glove so far with a .964 fielding percentage in 110 chances at third and first base. PRINCE GETTING IT DONE WITH THE GLOVE, BAT: Taking over as MSUB’s full-time second baseman this year, sophomore Myrissa Prince has stood out at the plate with a .319 batting average and has played solid defense all season with a .966 fielding percentage. Prince has just one error in her last eight games, and started the year with 75 straight plays without a miscue. Prince’s 28 RBIs are second-most on the team behind Cassinelli’s 34, and eight of them came on the two grand slams she has hit this year. WATTERUD EARNS FIRST START: Freshman Erin Watterud earned her first career start last week against the ‘Cavs, and went 1-for-2 with an RBI for her first career hit. Watterud also made a play on her only chance at second base. Northwest Nazarene University Crusaders Friday, April 22 – 1 PM – DOUBLEHEADER – Avitus Group Stadium – SENIOR DAY Saturday, April 23 – 12 PM – DOUBLEHEADER – Avitus Group Stadium 2016 Record: 16-26, 10-14 GNAC (7th) Head Coach: Rich Wagner, 3rd season The Crusaders split a four-game series against Western Oregon at home last week, winning the opener and the finale to remain in the hunt for a GNAC postseason berth. NNU has split 16 games at home on the year, but enters this weekend’s series with a mark of just 5-11 in away games. NNU is being led by Kylie Orr at the plate, who is hitting a team-best .390 with 34 RBIs in 42 games. Orr and Cassidy Fifield lead the team in doubles with 12 and 10, respectively, and the latter is batting .324 with a GNAC-high 24 stolen bases. Lisa Sylvester is also batting north of .300 for NNU at .311, and has five doubles and 17 RBIs. In the circle, Brooke Bonsen and Kendall Goodwin have been solid as starters. Bonsen has a 3.27 ERA with 62 strikeouts and 34 walks in 122 innings pitched. Goodwin holds an ERA of 4.10 with 33 strikeouts in 94 innings. In 13 appearances, mainly in relief, Abigail Watkins holds a stellar 2.39 ERA and has issued just six walks in 29 1/3 innings pitched. As a team NNU averages 4.1 runs per game and is batting .279 with a 3.64 staff ERA. The Series: MSUB leads the all-time series 49-10 and has lost just one game at home in 24 meetings in Billings. MSUB has won seven straight and 20 of the last 21 games between the two teams dating back to the 2011 season. Last Time Out: The ‘Jackets swept the Crusaders in a four-game road series in Nampa, Idaho last April. Rovens went 5for-13 with eight runs scored and three RBIs in the series --@MSUBSports | #JacketNation--