May 9, 2009
NCAA Division II West Region Championships – Game 4
For Immediate Release
Game 4 –Humboldt State 3, MSU Billings 2
ARCATA — Marissa Slattery’s run-scoring single to left field was misplayed, allowing another run to score and lifting Humboldt State to a 3-2 win over Montana State Billings in Friday’s first elimination game at the NCAA Division II West Region Softball Championships.
Slattery’s drive capped a three-run, seventh-inning rally that brought the Jacks back from a 2-0 deficit and improved their record to 38-19 overall. They advance to Saturday’s second elimination game,
“We’re leaving it up to winning the fairy tale way,” HSU head coach Frank Cheek said. “We knew we’d have trouble against (pitcher Kasie Conder). She throws hard, and we had trouble picking up her change-up.”
Defense backed good pitching by Conder and HSU’s Gracie Perez to keep the game scoreless into the sixth inning, when the Yellowjackets put up the first two runs of the contest. After Amanda Goings reached on a walk, Steph Gosselin drove the ball over the left field fence for a two-run homer.
“Humboldt faced the pressure today and came through,” MSUB head coach Anthony Stone said. “We’ve been telling our pitchers to just keep us in the game. Kasie did everything she could to win, as a team we did everything possible. It just didn’t end in our favor.”
In the decisive seventh, Lindsay Warren led off with a double and scored the Jacks’ first run when Ashley Oltjenbruns doubled down the left field line. Oltjenbruns advanced to third on a ground out before Geneva Perrine reached on an error, and both came home following Slattery’s sharp single to left.
Montana State Billings finished its season with a 39-17 record, while Conder, who struck out six and gave up eight hits, fell to 16-4 on the season. Perez improved her record to 19-8 with a complete-game four-hitter, striking out five and walking one.
Among the day’s highlights was a catch by HSU left fielder Lindsay Warren, who ranged far into the gap to chase down Terina Stacks’ long drive in the third inning. Another fielding gem came when MSUB third baseman Leslie David prevented a run by catching a popped-up squeeze bunt attempt and throwing to third to double off the runner.