Griz fall in familiar fashion

Sunday, February 17

Las Cruces, N.M .

9:00 AM

Montana

1-9

Texas State

5-4

Montana

Texas State

2/17/2019 1:30:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

By: Montana Sports Information

The Montana softball team gifted Texas State an early lead on Sunday on the final day of the Troy Cox Classic at Las Cruces, N.M. The Grizzlies would rally to tie it in the late innings, only to fall 7-5 with the potential tying run at the plate.

While the middle part of that storyline -- the comeback from an early deficit -- continues to encourage second-year coach Melanie Meuchel, the opening chapter is getting less and less palatable.

Her team faced deficits of 5-0, 6-1, 7-0, 2-0 and 5-0 in its five games at the tournament, with some of those holes being dug by the Grizzlies themselves.

Montana committed 11 errors at the tournament, which led to 11 unearned runs.

"I'm proud of them for how we're responding, but we have got to stop doing that to ourselves," Meuchel said. "We're not giving ourselves the best chance on defense. We have got to come out and take care of the ball early.

"I feel like in all but two games we've played this season, we've done it to ourselves a little bit, whether it's giving them a free base or an opportunity to get on base. It adds a little more pressure, because there is so much that can come into play with runners on."

Montana had just one base runner through the first three innings on Sunday as the Bobcats got out to a 5-0 lead off starter Maddy Stensby.

The Grizzlies got on the board in the top of the fourth, when freshman Maygen McGrath, who batted .471 at the tournament, doubled with two outs and scored on an infield single by Anne Mari Petrino.

Michaela Hood relieved Stensby in the bottom of the second and gave her team a chance, holding Texas State scoreless across the third, fourth and fifth innings.

The Grizzlies took advantage in the top of the sixth. McGrath led off the inning with what would be her second of three doubles on the day. She was driven in by Petrino with a single that made its way through the left side.

Freshman Brooklyn Weisgram made it 5-3 with a sacrifice fly, scoring Jessica McAlister, who had followed McGrath's double with a single, her sixth hit of the weekend.

With two outs, Lexi Knauss came through with a clutch hit, doubling to right to plate Petrino and Kylie Hayton. It was Knauss's fifth extra-base hit of the eight she had in Montana's five games in Las Cruces.

She was stranded at second after an inning-ending fly out. Montana left six on base over the final four innings.

Texas State got to Hood for two runs in the bottom of the sixth as the Bobcats reestablished their lead.

McGrath came through with a double to right-center with one out in the top of the seventh, but that's where she stayed. An infield pop-up and line drive to short ended the game.

Montana had 10 hits, giving the Grizzlies 10 or more in three of their five games at New Mexico State. Montana hit .311 and had 18 extra-base hits, including five home runs, which came from the bats of five different players.

Montana will play five games next weekend at the Silicon Valley Classic, a tournament co-hosted by Santa Clara and San Jose State.