March 25, 2015
Contact: Nathan Webber
(503)305-8756/[email protected]
MSUB Plays Home Opener vs SMU in ‘Team of the Week’ Battle
PORTLAND, Ore. – Forty-nine days after the start of the 2015
baseball season, Montana State Billings will finally get an
opportunity to play on its home field.
The Yellowjackets will play their first home series at Dehler
Park Friday and Saturday. Their next five series in fact will
also be at the park with their next road contest coming on
May 1.
Standings and Schedule
GNAC
Team
Western Oregon
MSU Billings
Saint Martin’s
Central Washington
Northwest Nazarene
W
9
6
6
6
4
L
2
5
6
10
8
Overall
W
13
11
12
12
14
L
14
16
14
14
15
MSUB swept Northwest Nazarene last week, jumping to
second in the GNAC standings with a 6-5 record. The ‘Jackets
also earned Red Lion Hotels co-Team of the Week honors for
their performance.
UPCOMING GAMES
It’s fitting that their first home game would be against the
other co-Team of the Week, Saint Martin’s.
THURSDAY, March 26
Central Washington at Oregon Tech (DH), 12 p.m./3 p.m.
The Saints were able to sweep the ninth-ranked team in last
week’s NCBWA West region poll as they moved into third
place in the GNAC with a 6-6- record.
FRIDAY, March 27
Central Washington at Holy Names (DH), 11 a.m./2 p.m.
Saint martin’s at Montana State Billings (DH), 1 p.m./4 p.m.
Western Oregon at Northwest Nazarene (DH), 3 p.m./6 p.m.
Between the two teams, the Yellowjackets and the Saints
were also able to sweep the weekly player awards including
the Saints Carl Svanevik who was also honored as the
NCBWA West Region Player of the Week.
S
W6
W4
W4
L5
L4
SATURDAY, March 28
Central Washington at Holy Names (DH), 11 a.m./2 p.m.
Saint martin’s at Montana State Billings (DH), 1 p.m./4 p.m.
Western Oregon at Northwest Nazarene (DH), 1 p.m./4 p.m.
Svanevik went 8-16 on the weekend, driving in nine runs
while scoring four himself. The senior outfielder also
connected on three home runs as he finished the series with
a 1.125 slugging percentage.
Svanevik becomes the second GNAC player this season to
win the NCBWA West Region weekly award, joining MSUB’s
Luke Reinschmidt who won it Feb. 16-22. The MSUB senior
was also selected as the National Player of the Week as well.
The winner of this series will take control of second place in
the GNAC standings and put pressure on conference leader
Western Oregon which has at least a three game lead over
the rest of the GNAC.
After a week off, the GNAC’s top team will face the only
conference opponent it hasn’t played yet this season in
Northwest Nazarene. This will be the Wolves first road
games in three weeks.
WEDNESDAY, March 25
Northwest Nazarene at College of Idaho, 4:30 p.m.
Around the GNAC
Six GNAC pitchers went at least six innings while striking
out five or more batters last week. Five of them were in the
MSUB-NNU series. All four MSUB starters last weekend
lasted over five innings while striking out a combined 30
batters as well.
Saint Martin’s Svanevik and Montana State Billings Kyle
Durbin shared GNAC Player of the Week honors in helping
their teams to series sweeps. Svanevik had three home
runs and nine RBI’s while Durbin hit two game-winning
two-run doubles in the first day of the series. The
Yellowjackets Cody Cooper was awarded Pitcher of the
Week honors after picking up his first win of the season. He
went seven innings of four-hit ball in his complete-game
shutout while striking out a season-high 10 batters.
Central Washington will take to the road this week as well
facing the Oregon Institute of Technology in a doubleheader
Thursday before playing a four-game series in Alameda,
Calif., against Holy Names.
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