Griz conclude fall season at home
10/2/2015 1:11:00 PM | Softball
The fall softball season comes to a conclusion in Missoula on Saturday, as the Grizzlies play their final two games before entering the off-season.
Montana kicks things off against Spokane Falls Community College at 10 a.m., and they will provide the Grizzlies with perhaps their toughest test of the fall season. Spokane Falls finished the 2015 season with a final record of 46-4-1, including a 27-1 conference record.
They are the defending champions of the NWAC Conference, and they won't be the first team the Griz have seen from that conference this fall season. Coach Jamie Pinkerton's squad played tight with North Idaho last weekend before pouring some late runs on in a 7-1 victory.
Pinkerton is excited to play Spokane Falls, and also knows that the Grizzlies have another tough opponent waiting in the afternoon. The Griz host MSU-Billings at 2 p.m.
The Yellowjackets are coming off a 31-win season that saw them make a run into the Division II West Regional. They were eventually knocked off by Sonoma State, but not after eliminating two nationally ranked teams on their way.
Pinkerton knows that these will be two good fall tests. He is confident in how his team has been playing this fall and wants them to get as much experience as they can in these final two games.
"I think every aspect of our game has been strong, and we're just looking to stay on that course," Pinkerton said. "We're looking to get some valuable game experience, stay focused and keep our eye toward the end of the fall."
The Grizzlies have a one-game break on Saturday, which was intentional scheduling by Pinkerton.
"The reason I did it that way is because there are going to be times this spring when we're going to have a game break, so I'm just trying to incorporate different things," he said. "I put the nine o'clock game in early in the fall because we'll have some early games. We'll play back-to-back like we have, so I try to simulate possibly what we'd go to."
The game plan all fall has been to get all four of his pitchers time in the center circle, and to try to get the three newcomers to the program live-game experience. He also wants to give freshman Sidney Stites more experience in the infield.
"We want to get our new pitchers some innings this weekend and get Sidney some more time," Pinkerton said. "When the program gets established, I like to use the fall to get the newcomers some good experience, and that's the plan again this weekend."
After Saturday, Montana will not play a softball game until the middle of February, so this is the final look Pinkerton will have at his team before they begin their offseason workouts.
"We're looking to finish strong and, usually these are the games to see what we need to work on," Pinkerton said. "Then, we'll go into the offseason and our individual workouts to help hone the skills that might need work to better prepare us for when we open in February."
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Montana kicks things off against Spokane Falls Community College at 10 a.m., and they will provide the Grizzlies with perhaps their toughest test of the fall season. Spokane Falls finished the 2015 season with a final record of 46-4-1, including a 27-1 conference record.
They are the defending champions of the NWAC Conference, and they won't be the first team the Griz have seen from that conference this fall season. Coach Jamie Pinkerton's squad played tight with North Idaho last weekend before pouring some late runs on in a 7-1 victory.
Pinkerton is excited to play Spokane Falls, and also knows that the Grizzlies have another tough opponent waiting in the afternoon. The Griz host MSU-Billings at 2 p.m.
The Yellowjackets are coming off a 31-win season that saw them make a run into the Division II West Regional. They were eventually knocked off by Sonoma State, but not after eliminating two nationally ranked teams on their way.
Pinkerton knows that these will be two good fall tests. He is confident in how his team has been playing this fall and wants them to get as much experience as they can in these final two games.
"I think every aspect of our game has been strong, and we're just looking to stay on that course," Pinkerton said. "We're looking to get some valuable game experience, stay focused and keep our eye toward the end of the fall."
The Grizzlies have a one-game break on Saturday, which was intentional scheduling by Pinkerton.
"The reason I did it that way is because there are going to be times this spring when we're going to have a game break, so I'm just trying to incorporate different things," he said. "I put the nine o'clock game in early in the fall because we'll have some early games. We'll play back-to-back like we have, so I try to simulate possibly what we'd go to."
The game plan all fall has been to get all four of his pitchers time in the center circle, and to try to get the three newcomers to the program live-game experience. He also wants to give freshman Sidney Stites more experience in the infield.
"We want to get our new pitchers some innings this weekend and get Sidney some more time," Pinkerton said. "When the program gets established, I like to use the fall to get the newcomers some good experience, and that's the plan again this weekend."
After Saturday, Montana will not play a softball game until the middle of February, so this is the final look Pinkerton will have at his team before they begin their offseason workouts.
"We're looking to finish strong and, usually these are the games to see what we need to work on," Pinkerton said. "Then, we'll go into the offseason and our individual workouts to help hone the skills that might need work to better prepare us for when we open in February."
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