March 7, 2010
Lacey, WA – Saint Martin’s opened up Great Northwest Athletic Conference play with a four game split against Montana State Billings. SMU took games one and three by scores of 7-6 and 10-5 but fell in the other two games 0-1 and 7-1.
Game one was a battle, Billings took a 2-0 lead in the game before SMU answered back. The Saints scored two runs in the fourth, one in the fifth and two more in the sixth to take the 5-2 advantage. But a three-run sixth by the Yellowjackets tied it.
SMU scored the go ahead run in the eighth on a passed ball only to see MSUB tie it in the top of the ninth. Billings held the Saints scoreless in their half of the ninth and forced extra innings. After James Douglas shut down the Yellowjackets in order Saint Martin’s loaded the bases in the bottom of the 10th on a walk, a hit batsman, and an intentional base on balls, Luke Abbott delivered the game winner.
Kaleb Wilson earned the win in relief. Cody Brooks led the Saints with four hits while Josh Grenier added three.
Game two was halted at the start of the seventh with MSUB up 1-0 because of darkness and resumed on Sunday morning. SMU couldn’t put anything together in their final inning. Kody Kennedy held the Saints to just two hits in the game to earn the win. Travis Jones and Abbott accounted for the Saints’ hits.
The SMU bats came alive in game three as the Saints scored 10 runs on 12 hits. They got three in the third on a double by Matt Marcoe and an Aaron Johnson home run to left. Saint Martin’s added three more in the fifth on a single by Michael McIver. Andrew Elke then stole home to make it a 6-3 ballgame. A RBI single by Brooks would make it 7-3.
After getting one in the sixth the Saints capped off their scoring with a two spot in the eighth on a double by McIver.
Antone Saltvick got the win allowing just three earned runs and two walks through four and a third.
Elke and Marcoe finished the game with three hits apiece. Elke came around to score five times while Marcoe drove in two runs.
The Yellowjackets scattered 12 hits in the final game while pitcher Brian Howe held Saints Martin’s to just four hits to get the victory.
The Saints are now 5-11 overall and 2-2 in the GNAC. They will play again at home on Wednesday, March 10, against the University of Puget Sound.