Missed opportunities cost Grizzlies in Sacramento

Saturday, April 8

Sacramento, Calif.

5:00 PM (MT)

Montana

19-19, 4-3

Sacramento State

13-18-1, 3-3

Montana

Sacramento State

4/8/2017 9:55:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

By: Montana Sports Information

The Montana softball team put runners in scoring position in six of seven innings on Saturday at Sacramento State, but key hits were few and far between as the Grizzlies, who left 11 runners on base, lost 5-3 to the Hornets as the teams opened their three-game series in Sacramento.

The Hornets scored four runs in the bottom of the fourth to chase Griz starter Michaela Hood. Montana pulled within 5-3 in the top of the seventh with a pair of runs and still had the bases loaded with one out, but a force out at the plate and a strikeout ended the threat and the game.

"It was one of those games when we had opportunities and didn't cash in consistently enough to win," said coach Jamie Pinkerton. "We worked counts and got base runners, but we weren't able to get the big hit."

The game featured Sacramento State's Celina Matthias, last year's Big Sky Pitcher of the Year, and Hood, who entered the game with a 9-3 record and ERA of 2.23.

Montana wasted little time getting to Matthias, using a single, walk and single to load the bases with one out in the top of the first. But a strikeout and groundout ended the inning before anyone could cross home plate.

The Grizzlies stranded a runner at third in the second inning before finally breaking through in the third. Ashlyn Lyons led off the inning with a double to left center, and Bethany Olea advanced her to third with a sacrifice bunt.

Delene Colburn came through with a double to left center to open the scoring and put Montana up 1-0.

Hood only allowed a pair of hits through the first three innings, but she ran into trouble in the fourth. After the inning opened with a strikeout, the next six batters would reach base.

Back-to-back singles were followed by an infield error that loaded the bases. The next two batters had run-scoring singles to put Sacramento State ahead 2-1. That was it for Hood, who was replaced by Sara Stephenson.

Stephenson walked the first batter she faced to make it 3-1, and a passed ball on Madison Saacke put the Hornets up 4-1. Stephenson would get out of the jam by inducing a pair of groundouts.

For Hood, it was her shortest start of the season.

"Michaela wasn't particularly sharp today. She didn't have any snap. It was her first (Big Sky) road game, and I think she might have been nervous," said Pinkerton. "She tried to guide the ball rather than snap it. But I can't complain about her performance, not with what she's given us the last month.

"And we didn't help her by extending the inning with an error. When we're playing at home, we're able to cover up a crooked number. Today it reared its ugly head."

Montana had runners on first and second in the fifth and second and third in the sixth but was unable to score. Sacramento State added an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth with a two-out single.

"We have to avoid that type of tack-on run," said Pinkerton. "That made it more difficult. When you have to score four runs in the top of the seventh, that's a tall order."

And Montana still almost pulled it off, loading the bases with one out with an error, a single by Lyons and Colburn walk.

Gabby Martinez made it 5-2 when she scored from third on a wild pitch, and Sydney Stites made it 5-3 with an RBI single to center that scored McKenzie Phillips.

But with the bases loaded, Dani Walker hit one to the shortstop that resulted in Tori Lettus getting forced out at the plate for the second out. With the tying run on second, Alex Wardlow struck out swinging to end the game.

"We were able to get a couple of runs but weren't able to get the final hit to get it tied and hopefully get it to extra innings," said Pinkerton.

"We didn't pitch particularly well today. We didn't play defense particularly well. We didn't run the bases, we didn't hit. Not that we did anything badly, but we didn't do anything well enough to win."

Martinez, Lyons and Colburn all had two hits for the Grizzlies, who had nine for the game.

The teams will play a doubleheader on Sunday, with first pitch of game one at 1 p.m. (MT).