Montana drops pair of games in Iowa

Saturday, February 11

Cedar Falls, Iowa

9:15 AM (MT)

Montana

1-2

Drake

3-0

Drake

Montana

2/11/2017 10:21:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

By: Montana Sports Information

The Montana softball team lost to Drake and Northern Iowa on Saturday as play continued at the Ramada UNI-Dome Classic at Cedar Falls, Iowa.

As was the case on Friday, when Montana split with Nebraska-Omaha and South Dakota State, the big inning haunted the Grizzlies (1-3) again on Saturday.

Montana took a 5-3 lead into the seventh against Drake but gave up four runs to lose 7-5. The decisive inning opened with a pair of walks.

Against Northern Iowa, the Grizzlies lost 10-2, but eight of the runs were unearned after Montana committed two-out errors in both the first and fifth innings, when eight two-out runs were scored.

The second game ended in five innings on a walk-off grand slam.

"We're just not sharp. We aren't focused on defense to make the plays to get us out of innings," said coach Jamie Pinkerton. "We're giving up three, four, five outs an inning, and you're not going to win against good ball teams doing that."

In the opener Montana struck for three runs in the bottom of the first. With runners on second and third, Bethany Olea reached base on an error, but the play scored MaKenna McGill, who led off the inning with a single, and Sydney Stites. Olea later scored on an Ashlyn Lyons groundout.

Michaela Hood walked the first two Drake batters in the top of the fourth, an inning that led to three runs on one hit and a 3-3 tie.

Montana broke the tie in the bottom of the sixth. With McKenzie Phillips on third and McGill on second, Stites reached on an error by the shortstop. The play scored two and put Montana ahead 5-3.

The lead wouldn't last long. Hood walked the first two batters in the top of the seventh and was relieved by Sara Stephenson. A double made it 5-4. A fielder's choice with an error put Drake up 6-5.

Trailing 7-5 in the bottom of the seventh, Olea singled, followed by Madison Saacke getting hit by a pitch. Lyons sacrificed them to second and third. The Grizzlies' next two batters struck out swinging to end the game.

"The same thing happened today as yesterday," said Pinkerton. "We jumped out to an early lead against Drake and had opportunities to put the game away, and we didn't.

"We didn't hit the ball as well today as we did yesterday, but we put the ball in play enough and did what we had to do to possibly win games."

Errors and home runs cost Montana in game two, starting in the first inning. An infield error with two outs prolonged Northern Iowa's first at-bat, and Alyssa Buchanan made it 2-0 with a home run.

Montana evened the score in the top of the third on an RBI double by Stites and RBI single by Olea.

UNI retook the lead in the bottom of the fourth on a two-run home run by Anna Varriano.

The Grizzlies couldn't do anything with McGill's leadoff single in the fifth, and that would be Montana's final at-bat.

Montana could have gotten out of the fifth inning without giving up a run, but a two-out error gave the Panthers extra at-bats.

Varriano, facing Maddy Stensby with the bases loaded, added her second home run in two innings to make it 10-2 and end the game.

The loss was pinned on Colleen Driscoll, who made the start and her first appearance of the season. She took the loss despite allowing just five hits and two earned runs in four and two-thirds innings.

"We had too many walks today and gave up too many runs with two outs," said Pinkerton. "We didn't make defensive plays to get out of innings or make life easier for our pitchers.

"I see a team that is playing like it's snake bit instead of just relaxing and making plays."

Montana will face Toledo on Sunday at 7 a.m. (MT).