MINOT, N.D.- The Yellow Jackets, after going 2-4 last year in the Air-Supported Dome, turned around and went 3-3 this year and split all three series. They finished today with another split versus the MSU Billings Yellowjackets. BHSU was unable to get their offense going in the first game and early in the second game, but BHSU scored eight unanswered runs in the second game between the fourth and fifth innings to pull off the win. Kaitlyn Geschwill pitched in both games today and only gave up one earned run in nine innings with 12 strikeouts.

QUICK DETAILS – GAME 1
Final Score:  Black Hills State 2, MSU Billings 5
Team Records: Black Hills State 2-3 (0-0 RMAC), MSU Billings 2-3 (0-0 RMAC)
Pitching Decision: Win: Akers (2-0), Loss: Poag (0-1)
Attendance: 40

HOW IT HAPPENED – GAME 1

• Marleigh Nieto started off the game with a double to deep left field, Dakota Poag got Wynter Hurst to strike out and then gave up a RBI double to Destiny Villas. Immediately, Grace Hood hit a deep home run to make the score 3-0 early. Poag was able to strand the next batter at third and held them to just three runs.
• Poag got the first two batters out in the second before Nieto and Hurst came back up again and both hit doubles to score another run and make it 4-0. Geschwill replaced Poag and got Villas to fly out to end the inning.
• Brooklyn Theiler flied out to begin the bottom of the third and with two outs, Carly Reyes Mims hit a single to get on base before Sammie Kaufman-Warner hit her second home run on the season and closed the gap to 4-2.
• MSUB's Ashley Akers and Geschwill held the two teams scoreless through the fifth inning. Delaney Vazquez started the fifth off with a single and advanced to second on a one-out passed ball. She walked the next batter and got the next one to ground into a fielder's choice that got Vazquez out at third to make it two outs. She then allowed an RBI single to Nieto which made the score 5-2. That's where the scoring ended as MSUB would win 5-2.
   

BLACK HILLS STATE STATISTICAL LEADERS – GAME 1

• Sammie Kaufman-Warner: 1-for-3, 2 RBIs, HR
• Carly Reyes Mims: 1-for-3, 1 run scored
• Kaitlyn Geschwill: 5.1 IP, 1 ER, 9 Ks

 
QUICK DETAILS- GAME 2
Final Score: Black Hills State 11, MSU Billings 6
Team Records: Black Hills State 3-3 (0-0 RMAC), MSU Billings 2-4 (0-0 RMAC)
Pitching Decision:  Win: Geschwill (2-1), Howard:  (0-1)
Attendance: 55

HOW IT HAPPENED- GAME 2

• Nieto hit a leadoff home run to dead center and Hurst hit a triple right after, but Paige Goodell was able to get out of the jam and hold the score at 1-0.
• The second inning started with the first two batters getting out before Emily Brevig reached on an error. She stole second and Nieto walked. Hurst then hit a double to score Brevig, Villas hit a single to score Nieto, and Hood hit a double to score Hurst and broke it open at 4-0. Caylee Mann started the bottom of the fourth with a hit by pitch and then advanced to second on a wild pitch. Carli Maley also got hit by pitch and advanced to second and sent Mann to third on a wild pitch and Alyssa Wong walked to load the bases. Fouras was hit by pitch to score Mann and then Lily Simmons hit a one-out single to score Maley and Wong and get the gap to 4-3. That was as close as the Yellow Jackets were able to get that inning.
• Goodell got out of a jam in the third and then in the fourth, Villas singled to begin the inning followed by Hood reaching on an error and Josie Theilen reaching on a bunt single that loaded the bases. Delaney Vazquez reached on a fielder's choice that allowed Villas to score and make it 5-3 and then  stole second to have runners at second and third. Kendall Klemp walked and then a wild pitch scored Hood to make it a 6-3 game.
• BHSU's offense finally came alive in the fourth inning. Wong got hit by pitch and then advanced to second on a wild pitch. Jessica Melendez hit a double to score Wong and then advanced to third on a wild pitch. Simmons walked and then advanced to second on a wild pitch and Reyes Mims reached on an error that scored Melendez to make to make it 6-5. Kaufman-Warner hit a single to load the bases and then Desi Hernandez hit a single to tie the game at 6-6. Caylee Mann hit a two-RBI single to score Reyes Mims and Kaufman-Warner and make the score 8-6.
• In the bottom of the fifth, BHSU continued to dominate. Melendez singled and Brooklyn Theiler walked. Simmons hit a sacrifice bunt that advanced both runners to second and third and then Reyes Mims walked to load the bases. Kaufman-Warner walked to score Melendez and then a fielder's choice scored Theiler. Mann hit a single to score Reyes Mims and get the score all the way to 11-6. Geschwill would fly through the last two innings and BHSU would take the win and split 11-6.
   

BLACK HILLS STATE STATISTICAL LEADERS- GAME 2

• Caylee Mann - 3 for 3. 3 RBI
• Jessica Melendez - 3 for 3, 1 RBI
• Lily Simmons: 1-for-2, 2 RBI, BB, Run scored
• Kaitlyn Geschwill - 3.2 IP, 3 K, 0 ER

UP NEXT
The Yellow Jackets will now head on a trip to Oklahoma to OC/UCO Classic where they will face five solid schools in Cameron, #25 Oklahoma Christian, Eastern New Mexico, Oklahoma Baptist, and #11 Central Oklahoma. The games will take place next Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
  Read Full Article