Griz sweep North Dakota in Grand Forks

Sunday, May 1

Grand Forks, N.D.

11:00 AM (MT)

Montana

25-24, 12-6

North Dakota

17-34, 4-12

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Montana	1	0	0	2	3	2	1	9	13	1
North Dakota	1	0	3	3	0	0	0	7	15	1

5/1/2016 8:52:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

By: Montana Sports Information

The brooms were out in Grand Forks, as the visiting Montana Grizzlies won 9-7 on Sunday to finish off the sweep and keep them alive in the hunt for the regular season Big Sky Championship.

Montana 9 (25-24/12-6 BSC), North Dakota 7 (17-34/4-12 BSC)

Sara Stephenson came on in relief and delivered her third gem of the weekend inside the circle and Delene Colburn hit two home runs as the Grizzlies came back from a four-run deficit to earn the sweep.

The two sides both put a run up in the first inning, but North Dakota busted it open a little in the third, scoring three runs on three hits to move ahead 4-1.

"We started out kind of flat and I think a lot of that was because they knew they clinched a berth and I didn't do a good job of getting them ready coming in, letting them know that we still had something to play for," coach Jamie Pinkerton said.

Montana answered in the fourth, starting with a single by Ashlyn Lyons. Mercedes Bourgeau then ripped her first home run of the season to cut the Fighting Hawks' lead to one.

An error from Montana put a UND baserunner on to start the fourth. A single two batters later put two runners on, but Stephenson struck out the next batter, which would have been out number three without the error.

The next batter, Emily Bell, hit a three-run home run to extend the lead back up to 7-3 with just three innings remaining. All three of the runs were unearned, which allowed Stephenson to maintain her 0.00 ERA on the weekend.

The Grizzlies had a long road to get back, but Colburn continued her best stretch of the season to help them get back in it.

Sydney Stites tripled to right and Lexie Brenneis brought her home with a single. Then it was Colburn time, as she homered to get the Griz back within one run.

In the sixth, following a walk by Brenneis, Colburn hit her second homer in as many innings to put the Grizzlies ahead by one, a lead they wouldn't relinquish. MaKenna McGill hit an RBI single in the seventh and Stephenson kept the UND bats in check to get Montana the 9-7 win.

"When we fell behind 4-1 I challenged them and said, 'Are we happy just being in the tournament or do we want to play for as much as we can,' and they responded," Pinkerton said.

Stephenson was spectacular all weekend long, earning two wins and a save in the series. She threw 12.1 innings, not allowing a single run and giving up just 14 hits.

"She came in and got us out of trouble to get the save in game one, in game to she threw seven shutout innings and today, she had been taxed a little bit, but she was able to gut it out to get the win," Pinkerton said.

McGill led Montana at the plate all weekend long, finishing with a .467 average and a couple of RBIs. Colburn's big day on Sunday made up for a bit of a down day on Saturday, as she finished the weekend with a team-high five RBIs.

On Sunday, the first five batters for Montana all had two-hit performances.

"If the top of the order doesn't come around and keep the line moving, we don't have a chance to come back," Pinkerton said. "We just kind of focused in after I challenged them, and it was very instrumental in the comeback."

The win puts the Grizzlies within striking distance of Weber State, who travels to Missoula for the final series of the weekend. Weber State sit in first at 14-3, followed by Sacramento State, who hold the tiebreaker over Montana, at 12-6.

"We've got a lot of work to do against a very good Weber State team. I've said all along they are one of, if not the best team in the conference," Pinkerton said. "They proved it by going to Regionals last year and we have a tall order to try to take three games from them."

The Grizzlies have now won six straight games, which matches a program record, and 12 of their last 13. In just the second season, the Montana softball program has proven it belongs in the conversation at the top of the conference.

"This is just a fun team to be watching right now," Pinkerton said. "I told them after I was proud of them, and now we come home and have a chance to play for a three or two, or even hosting if the cards fall right, but we have a lot of work to do."