The Retort

Yellowjacket Softball 2-2 After Day Two of Desert Stinger

February 19th, 2010 by MSUB Athletics For The Retort

The Montana State Billings softball squad again split two games on the second day of the MSUB Desert Stinger, defeating Chadron State 9-4 and falling in the night cap to Hawaii-Hilo, 8-3. The Jackets were then 2-2 on the season and went for their third victory in the final game of the tournament on Febrruary 13.

MSUB 9, Chadron State 4

In the first game of the day for the Jackets, Josie Grotbo received the start against the Eagles, making her first start of the season. It wouldn’t take long for the Jackets’ offense to supply Grotbo with some breathing room

In the bottom of the first, Stevie Howard reached base on a fielder’s choice which led to the first out of the inning. With Howard on first, Whitney Whittemore drove a pitch off the fence in right field for an RBI double, scoring Howard. After Kelly Parsons walked, Kaycee Hoffman was able to place the ball just inside the right field line for an RBI double that scored Whittemore to give the Jackets a 2-0 lead early.

The Eagles responded in the third with four runs to take the lead, 4-2. After Lindsey Trenary replaced Grotbo in the fourth, the Jackets needed runs fast. Those runs came in a hurry in the fifth inning.

After Howard and Whittemore both struck out to lead-off the inning, Parsons reached base after a dropped fly ball by the Eagles defense. Hoffman then walked to bring up Angela Lingle with runners at first and second. Lingle then drove the ball through the right side to score a run and cut the lead to 4-3.

Rachel Eisenmann then hit a single to score Hoffman and moved Lingle to second and tie the ball game. Tasha Maier then stepped to the plate and slapped a single to score Lingle and then Bobbie Lee drove the ball to right field for another RBI. In all, the Yellowjackets scored six runs on four hits and two errors.

MSUB would add insurance in the sixth as Jenna VanEyekeren doubled down the right field line after pinch hitting for Whittemore. Whittemore would return as a pinch runner and would later score when Lingle singled in the infield.

Trenary took the victory after pitching 2.2 innings giving up no hits, no runs, no walks and striking out two. Grotbo had pitched 4.1 innings and allowing six hits, four runs, three walks and three strike outs. MSUB left eight runners on base while Chadron State stranded two.

MSUB 3, Hawaii Hilo 8

In game two, Kasie Conder started in the circle against the Vulcans. It seemed as though the Jackets were well on their way to another offensive output, but the Vulcan’s defense clamped down and pitching made it tougher to reach base for the Yellowjacket bats.

MSUB struck first in the bottom of the first inning as Amanda Hood led-off the game with a single through the right side and a stolen base. She scored two batters later when Whittemore doubled to right center to take a 1-0 lead. Whittemore would score and make it 2-0 after Hoffman drove another single back up the middle.

Hilo came back in the third off a two-run home run from Numata to tie the game back up. The Jackets offensive output finished in the fourth inning when Maier reached on a dropped fly ball and was brought in when Moeller doubled to the right center gap and give the Jackets the 3-2 lead.

Hilo was able to get to Conder in the fifth inning, scoring two runs on three hits and an error, regaining the lead, 5-3. The game broke wide open for the Vulcans in the sixth, scoring four runs on four hits and a Jackets error.

MSUB was unable to get anything going in their final at bats, going down in order. Conder pitched 5.2 innings, giving up 10 hits, eight runs, four walks and striking out seven batters in the loss. Her counterpart from Hilo, Sarah Weisskopf, threw 7.0 innings, giving up three runs on seven hits and striking out two.