Montana shut out in Seattle

Saturday, March 5

Seattle, Wash.

2:30 PM (MT)

Montana

Kent State

3/5/2016 11:57:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

By: Montana Sports Information

The rainy weather put a damper on the Grizzly bats for the second consecutive day in Seattle, where Montana fell to Kent State 2-0 and cancelled a game against Bradley because of the rain.

Kent State 2 (13-3), Montana 0 (6-11)

Entering the game, coach Jamie Pinkerton knew the pitching staff of Kent State could pose a large problem. That came at a poor time for Montana, who were shutout in their previous game against Pacific.

The scoreless streak extended to 14 innings Saturday, as Montana managed five hits and zero runs in a 2-0 loss to Kent State. The Grizzlies are putting the ball in play, striking out just three times in the seven innings, but can't find gaps.

"We aren't stringing hits together, and this team in the past has been a frenzy hitting team," Pinkerton said. "When one starts, they all start. Right now, individually they are just pressing a little bit and hitting balls at people."

Maddy Stensby pitched for Montana, throwing a complete game and allowing just six hits and one earned run. She struck out four batters and only allowed one walk, but Kent State put some hits together to do damage.

In the third, the Golden Flashes hit back-to-back doubles to score their first run. They added another run later in the inning on a Grizzly error. Kent State recorded three hits and their only two runs of the game in the inning.

Pinkerton said that Stensby pitched excellent, Kent State was just able to string together some hits at an opportune time.

Montana has just six hits and zero runs over 12 innings so far this weekend. The drought at the plate is concerning, but Montana isn't striking out often and Pinkerton knows hit team has to keep going through the rough patch.

"The season is long and you are going to have streaks where things are not going to go your way and we just have to plug through and keep chugging along, and hopefully things will turn back in our favor," Pinkerton said.

The Grizzlies started their second game of the day against Bradley at 7:00 p.m. They made it three innings before the game was called because of rain with Bradley ahead 4-2. It will not be made up.

The stats from the game won't count, but that doesn't mean Montana can't take some confidence from it. Bethany Olea had a home run and the Grizzlies had broken their scoreless streak before the weather hit.

"I felt like we were starting to come out of our slump, and I told them that when they do come out of it they were going to explode, but the rain put it out," Pinkerton said.

Montana has two more games remaining on their Husky Classic schedule, depending on the weather. They have a rematch against Pacific, who won the first meeting 8-0, and then they challenge No. 8 Washington.

After scoring two runs in their final inning Saturday, Montana has to maintain discipline and momentum at the plate.

"We just have to go out and let the game come to us instead of trying to force the issue," Pinkerton said. "We're in a bit of a bad streak and I think we're just pressing a bit."

The Grizzlies have lost six of their previous seven games dating back to Feb. 21 against Arizona State.