2016 MSUB Softball Schedule

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT Birgitta Gray O: (406) 896-5917 E: birgitta.gray@msubillings.edu October 7, 2015 Gasner announces 2016 softball schedule MSUB Softball on Twitter MSUB Softball on Facebook 2016 Interactive Schedule MSUB Softball Stack on ISSUU

The 2016 softball team is primed and ready after a great season last year that included a GNAC tournament championship, and a deep run into the NCAA west region tournament.

After winning the GNAC tournament last season, the Yellowjackets are being primed for another good year; head coach Bekah Gasner is announcing a schedule that looks to be challenging for the 2016 squad.

BILLINGS, Mont. – After winning the conference tournament last year, and making a run deep into the NCAA tournament, the MSU Billings softball team returns to the diamond in February with the home-hosted Desert Stinger tournament in Las Vegas.

The 2015 MSUB squad had a successful run into the postseason last year, advancing all the way to the NCAA Division II west sub-region title game against Sonoma State. The team finished with a 31-23 record, posting wins against five nationally-ranked teams, including west region teams Cal State Monterey Bay, Humboldt State, and Augustana (S.D.).

The Yellowjackets won the Great Northwest Athletic Conference postseason tournament not dropping a game, taking the conference title with a 9-5 win over Western Washington. The team was awarded the No. 8 seed in the west region for the NCAA Division II tournament, advancing through the bracket to the championship game against Sonoma State.

This season, interim head coach Bekah Gasner has scheduled contests against some challenging NCAA west region teams, three big tournaments, and a doubleheader against D1 Seattle University.

The ‘Jackets open the season as they did last year at the MSUB-hosted Desert Stinger Tournament in Las Vegas, Nev. This year, the tournament is scheduled for the first weekend of February (5-7) and Coach Gasner is looking forward to beginning the 2016 season at the seventh annual running of the event.

As a freshman, Cameron Cassinelli was named the 2015 GNAC tournament’s Most Valuable Player.

“I am eager to kick off our 2016 season as we face new teams and new challenges within the west region,” Gasner said. “We have an extensive travel schedule filled with great competition within our conference, region, and across the NAIA and Division I levels. In addition to our seventh annual Desert Stinger Tournament and the Tournament of Champions, we have added the Dixie State Tournament which will provide us more in-region, non-conference games against highly competitive opponents. We have also added University of British Columbia, a new member of the Cascade Collegiate Conference, as well as our previous GNAC opponent Seattle University, during our 11 day spring break trek. We will finally wrap up our regular season at home with the goal of moving on to the GNAC tournament and returning back to a familiar GNAC campus.”

From Las Vegas, the team makes a short hop to St. George, Utah, for several games against Dixie State. The Yellowjackets have individual three games scheduled ahead of the Red Storm-hosted tournament that runs from Feb. 12-14.

After 11 days on the road, MSUB has two weeks to rest and make adjustments before the team opens up conference action in Canada with a 4-game stand against Simon Fraser in B.C., Mar. 5-6.

Last year Bella Rovens finished with a team-leading .429 batting average.

The Yellowjackets continue their spring break trip to the west coast with a doubleheader on Mar. 8 against the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, B.C. The 13 day long trip moves back to the U.S. with a doubleheader against Division I Seattle University. The Redhawks were former GNAC members from 2002-2009, competing against MSU Billings

from 2001-08 with the Yellowjackets winning the last contest the two teams played 10-2.

Moving further south, MSUB wraps up its two week trip at Western Oregon with a 4-game series against the Wolves Mar. 11-12 in Monmouth, Ore. Returning to Billings, the Yellowjackets open its home season with eight GNAC games: four against Saint Martin’s, Mar. 19-20 and four against Western Washington, Mar. 25-26.

For the ninth time, MSUB heads to Turlock, Calif. and the Tournament of Champions for three days beginning Apr. 1 at the Pedretti Sports Complex.

The conference road games for MSUB concludes with a 4-games series against Central Washington in Ellensburg, Wash., Apr. 9-10. The regular season for the Yellowjackets finishes with another eight games at home.

This season marks the first time Concordia (Ore.) joins the GNAC and the Yellowjackets will see their newest conference opponent Apr. 16-17 at Avitus Group Stadium followed by the regular season finale, a 4-game Pitcher Amanda Roark returns to the Yellowjackets home stand against Northwest Nazarene, Apr. 22-23. Senior Day for the three athletes playing their final season in a Yellowjacket softball uniform for her final collegiate season. will be on Apr. 23 with a ceremony to honor them scheduled to take place before the 12:00 p.m. start time.

All of this year’s Yellowjacket softball games will feature live video and statistics available via MSUB’s Stretch Internet portal. Select road contests will feature live video and/or live statistics which can be found online at www.msubsports.com.

This year’s Great Northwest Athletic Conference postseason tournament is being held Apr. 28-30 at a place still to be announced.

NOTE:

The 2015 MSUB team finished with a 31-23 overall record, a GNAC tournament title, and a deep run into the NCAA tournament culminating at the west sub-region title game against Sonoma State.

Before the Yellowjackets move to their winter schedule, the fall season concludes with an alumnae game this Saturday, Oct. 10, starting at 11:00 a.m. at Avitus Group Stadium. Before the contest, a GNAC championship ring ceremony will be held where members of the 2015 MSUB team will be presented with their championship rings honoring the Great Northwest Athletic Conference tournament title.

For more information on the alumnae game please contact the MSUB softball office at 406-657-2398.

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