NAMPA, Ida. – The Montana State University Billings baseball team made history Thursday evening, earning the program's first-ever NCAA Tournament victory with a commanding 15-7 win over No. 4 Point Loma in the opening round of the NCAA West Region Championships at Elmore W. Vail Field.
The Yellowjackets (33-20) tied the program record for single season wins behind a dominant offensive performance and a strong start on the mound by senior Jackson Betancourt. The left-hander delivered a quality seven-inning outing, allowing just five runs while striking out four and walking one to secure his fifth win of the season and 13th of his career. His fourth strikeout of the night marked his 210th career punchout, moving him to third all-time in MSUB history.
Leading the offensive charge was Bodee Wright, who went 3-for-5 with three runs scored, three RBIs, a double, and a walk. Jack Nehler matched him with three hits of his own, driving in three and scoring twice. The Yellowjackets tallied 15 runs on 14 hits, including four doubles, while drawing nine walks. Five players recorded multi-hit games, with standout contributions from Kaden Kirshenbaum, Ryan Jeffrey, and MSUB's all-time single-season hits leader Zack Blaszak, who added two hits and two runs.
HEAR FROM COACH WADDOUPS: "I was really impressed with how we handled the game today as a team. We gave up some early runs, but Betancourt did a great job of minimizing those innings. Our offense just kept taking quality at bats and we were able to string together a pair of big innings. I was really happy for Betancourt to get the win today, he has been outstanding for us all season and his entire career, so he deserved the win for our first NCAA Tournament victory."
Big Innings Lead to Big Win
With a 2-2 historic record and their first meeting since 2020, both squads started slow in the opening game of the NCAA West Region Tournament. Point Loma struck first, scoring three runs across the third and fourth innings to take an early 3-0 lead. MSUB responded emphatically in the top of the fifth with a seven-run outburst, highlighted by an RBI sacrifice fly from Parker Bleggi, an RBI single from Wright, a two-run double by Kirshenbaum, and a clutch single by Jeffrey.
Parker Bleggi got the scoring started with an RBI sacrifice fly, followed by an RBI single from Wright, and Elmer scoring on a fielding error from the Sea Lions shortstop. Nehler kept it going with two outs, bringing Wright home on an RBI single and Blazak came home to score on the following pitch from a balk on the Point Loma starter. Two more came across the plate in the inning, one from an RBI double from the bat of Kirshenbaum and the other from Jeffrey's RBI single.
Point Loma narrowed the gap to 7-5 with a two-run homer in the seventh, but the Yellowjackets answered right back with another explosive inning—this time scoring seven more in the eighth. Wright added a two-run double, Nehler had an RBI single, and Ryker Fortier drove in two more with a base hit to right-center. Jeffrey chipped in again with a bases-loaded walk during the rally.
The Sea Lions managed two more runs in the bottom of the eighth, but MSUB capped the scoring in the ninth with a two-out RBI double from Nehler. Hayden Mullins and Kevin McClellan handled the final two innings in relief, with McClellan tossing a clean ninth to seal the historic win.
HEAR FROM COACH WADDOUPS: "Wright, Blaszak, Nehler, Kirshenbaum, and Jeffrey were tough outs today and each had multiple clutch hits. We got offensive production top to bottom from our lineup, including the bottom part of the order. Fortier, Bertram, Elmer, and Bleggi were the difference in the game today."
STATISTIC LEADERS
H: Bodee Wright (3); Kaden Kirshenbaum (3)
RBI: Bodee Wright (3); Jack Nehler (3)
R: Bodee Wright (3); Five players tied (2)
IP: Jackson Betancourt (7.0); Hayden Mullins (1.0); Kevin McClellan (1.0)
SO: Jackson Betancourt (4)
W/S: Jackson Betancourt (Win)
THE BUZZ: Bodee Wright was named Intermountain Health Player of the Game after going 3-5 with three runs, three RBIs, one double, and one walk.
UP NEXT: The Yellowjackets return to the field tomorrow for a crucial doubleheader. They'll face top-seeded Northwest Nazarene at 2:00 PM, followed by a rematch with #4 Point Loma at 6:00 PM. Live statistics can be found
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