LA JOLLA, Calif. - Zack Noll struck out 14 and the Sea Lions rode the momentum of a five-run first inning to defeat No. 6 seed Montana State Billings, 10-2, in the first game of the NCAA West Regional on Thursday, May 16.
 
Noll (10-2) allowed just three hits and no runs over six innings while walking three and matching his career-high with 14 strikeouts. No Yellowjacket reached third base against him and he got 14 of the 18 outs he recorded via the strikeout. He left the game after the sixth with 114 pitches and a 10-0 lead.
 
The Sea Lions put up a five-spot in the first inning to stake Noll to the early advantage. Micah Pries doubled down the right field line to score Travis Takata for the first run. Colby Kaneshiro would bring in Pries and Miguel Cazares later in the inning with a two-out, opposite field home run. Casey Dunlap added another run for PLNU in the inning when he singled to bring in Michael Palos, who had singled and advanced to second on a wild pitch.
 
John Balliet crossed the plate on a wild pitch in the bottom of the second to extend the lead to 6-0. The Sea Lions would put the game away in the fifth inning thanks to two miscues by the Yellowjackets that led to three more runs. The first was a fly out to right field that was dropped by the right fielder with two outs that allowed two more runs to score. The next was a dropped foul out by the catcher that preceded a two-out, RBI-single by Balliet.
 
Point Loma outhit MSUB 12-7 in the game, and all but one starter for the Sea Lions had at least one hit, with Dunlap, Balliet, Pries and Takata each having two hits. Kaneshiro finished the game with four RBI. Daniel Cipriano was the only Yellowjacket to record a multi-hit game.
 
Jarrod Molnaa (8-3) took the loss for Montana State Billings, which saw its 11-game winning streak come to a close. He was charged with 10 hits and nine runs (six earned) over five innings. He walked three and struck out nine.
 
Team records
#3 Point Loma (31-19), #6 Montana State Billings (33-19)
 
Playoff implications
PLNU will move to the late game on Friday and will face tournament host and No. 2 seed UC San Diego at 7 p.m. The win guarantees that Point Loma will be playing on Saturday, and will not face an elimination game until then. The loss puts the Yellowjackets' backs against the wall. They will have to defeat UC San Diego in the 3:30 p.m. game tomorrow to remain in the postseason.

Words from coach James and the student-athletes
Postgame press conference with Zack Noll, Colby Kaneshiro and coach Justin James
 
News & notes
> With the win, Noll becomes just the sixth pitcher in PacWest history with 10 wins in a single-season
> The Sea Lions' win snapped an 11-game winning streak for the Yellowjackets
> Noll also moved into the fifth in PacWest history with 102 strikeouts in a single-season
> This is the second straight regional win that Colby Kaneshiro has hit three-run homer to record the game-winning run
> Noll is just the seventh PacWest student-athlete to ever record 100 or more strikeouts in a season
> PLNU scored in the sixth on a walk and three straight hit-by-pitches
> Point Loma improved to 27-3 when they hold its opponent to four runs or less
 
Next game
Point Loma will move on to face No. 2 seed UC San Diego on Friday, May 17 at 7 p.m.