BILLINGS, Mont. – Both games featured momentum swings, but in the end, Montana State Billings was able to get a pair of walk-off wins to take the final two games of the series from the Western Oregon University softball team on Sunday. The Yellowjackets won game one, 5-4 and then won the nightcap, 7-6, in Great Northwest Athletic Conference action.
In the first game of the day, MSU Billings (9-19, 5-7 GNAC) plated the first run in the second. After adding a run in the fourth, WOU (9-11, 5-7 GNAC) came back to take their first lead in the fifth.
Aleya Turner began the inning with a solo homer to right. Logan Carlos walked and Chandler Bishop walked before both moved up on a wild pitch. Following an out, Zoie Recolan hit a sacrifice fly to right-center to bring in Carlos to tie the game at two. Sydney Bowers kept the inning going with an RBI single up the middle to drive in Bishop for the 3-2 lead.
The 'Jackets answered right back in the home half of the fifth. A single began the frame and then a two-run homer followed to push MSU Billings back ahead at 4-3.
In the top of the seventh, Recolan delivered the tying hit to keep the game going when she launched a solo homer to center to tie the game at four.
An error proved costly in the 'Jackets part of the seventh. The first batter reached on an error and eventually stole second. After a groundout moved the runner to third, the Wolves would walk the next two batters to load the bases and put a force play possibility at home. But, a lifted fly ball to right field went for a sacrifice fly to give MSU Billings the 5-4 walk-off win.
WOU held a 8-7 edge in hits with Turner, Recolan and Allyson Drury leading the team with two hits apiece. Recolan drove in a pair of runs. In the circle, Bishop started and went all 6.2 innings to end up with the loss (0-2) after allowing five runs (four earned) along with four strikeouts.
Marin Penney led the 'Jackets with a 3-3 game while driving in two runs. Hailee Gregerson added a pair of RBI. In the circle, Alyssa Etheridge started and worked the first four innings, allowing three earned runs in the no-decision outing. Haley Couch went the final three innings for the win (1-4) allowing one earned run.
In game two, WOU looked to be in good shape in the later innings. The Wolves scored right away in the first inning with Turner starting things with a single to right. After a sacrifice bunt moved her to second, Bishop singled to put runners at the corners. Recolan cashed the run in with a sacrifice fly to center and a 1-0 WOU lead.
WOU would hold the lead into the third when the 'Jackets picked up their own sacrifice fly RBI to even the score at one.
Then came the sixth. The Wolves put together a big offensive inning that was started with a single to center by Recolan. After she moved to second on a sacrifice bunt, Bowers walked and Drury was hit-by-pitch to load the bases. Pinch-runner Hannah Stewart, running for Recolan, then scored on a wild pitch that moved the trail runners up to second and third. Maddie Brandner entered as a pinch-hitter and she laced a shot down the left field line for a double that scored both Bowers and Drury and pushed the lead to 4-1. The final run came home on a throwing error by the pitcher leaving WOU with a 5-1 lead.
WOU added another run on in the seventh with Bishop and Recolan both singling to start the inning. Bella Valdes came on to pinch-run for Bishop and would score on a fielder's choice play that ended up turning into an error and left WOU with a 6-1 lead.
MSU Billings then rallied with six runs on six hits in the home half of the inning to pull off the improbable 7-6 walk-off win. With two outs, the 'Jackets tallied three singles and worked a pair of walks to score the final four runs of the game.
The Yellowjackets held a 12-9 edge in hits with Turner, Carlos, Bishop and Recolan all collecting two-hit games for the Wolves. Brandner drove in a pair of runs. In the circle, Jada Young tossed a solid game going the first six innings and allowed three earned runs. Reilly Tidwell came on in relief in the seventh and ended up with the loss (2-4).
Frazier led MSU Billings with a 4-4 game and Taylor Anderson added three hits. Gregerson and Payton Reynolds each drove in two runs. In the circle, Jenna Kister started and went the first 5.1 innings to end up with the no-decision allowing five runs (four earned). Julia Qualteri went the final 1.2 innings to get the win (4-6) allowing just one unearned run.
WOU will have the coming week off before they return to action on Apr. 24-25 when they will host Central Washington for the second time this season in a four-game GNAC series. The Wolves will also honor their seniors during the series.
