Thursday, April 12, 2012

Western Washington homered a school-record five times, including four times in the sixth inning, to rally from a 5-0 deficit in defeating Montana State Billings 9-5 Thursday in the opening game of a twinbill at Cenex Stadium in Billings.

The Yellowjackets (28-10, 21-5) earned a split winning the second game 7-4 and ending Viking pitcher Stephanie Fox's school-record scoreless inning streak at 29, the fourth longest in GNAC history.

Trailing 5-0 in the opener the Vikings (11-28, 7-15) got on the board in the fifth on a home run by second baseman Kristen Allen. Then in the sixth WWU exploded for eight runs.

Catcher Jackie Rothenberger led off the frame with a home run. Following two pop ups for outs, Allen walked and Jessica Carey, Krista Bickar and Rachelle Berry followed with consecutive home runs to give the Vikings a 6-5 lead.

The inning then continued with consecutive singles by Meghan Carrillo, designated player Amanda Flores and Rothenberger to produce another run. Fox then doubled to drive in two runs and complete the scoring.

Devyn Baker pitched the final three innings for WWU, allowing just two hits and no runs to earn her first win in two decisions.

Western had 14 hits, including four by Carey and three by Carrillo. MSUB had 11 as Bobbie Lee, Emily Osborn, Taylor Hoke and Nicole Wilkerson each had two.

Wilkerson homered for MSUB's two runs in the fourth inning after it had scored three in the third on consecutive doubles by Meg Harasymczuk, Osborn and Jenna VanEykeren.

In the second game, the Vikings jumped to a 3-0 lead in the third, scoring twice on a single by Berry and a double by Carrillo. But, Lee ended Fox's streak with a lead-off home run in the bottom of the inning.

Later, MSUB overcame a 4-3 deficit scoring four runs in the fifth, two on a single by Nicole Colpron to go ahead 5-4. Tanya Eckles then added two insurance runs with a home run.

The 'Jackets, who maintained a four-game lead over second place Simon Fraser with the split, outhit the Vikings 13-8 as Rose Harrington had three and Lee, VanEykeren and Eckles had two each.

Eight different players had one hit each for the Vikings including Carey who finished the day with five hits in eight at bats.

MSUB's Jessyka MacDonald (5-2) earned the win pitching four scoreless innings of relief and allowing three hits. She walked one and struck out four.