Griz softball program adds four

The Montana softball team signed four players to National Letters of Intent on Wednesday as the NCAA's initial signing period opened.

Joining the Grizzlies as freshmen next fall will be Dana Butterfield (Hillsboro, Ore.), Grace Hardy (Missoula, Mont.), Presley Jantzi (Albany, Ore.) and Kynzie Mohl (Kalispell, Mont.).

Butterfield is a pitcher, Mohl a catcher, Hardy an infielder and Jantzi an outfielder.

"I'm excited for this class," said fourth-year Griz softball coach Melanie Meuchel. "It not only fills some needs and adds some depth, but it's a group that has some great skill.

"You're always trying to make the program better by bringing in athletes who will raise their game and raise the game of our athletes in the program. This group is competitive and skilled, and they are excellent students. They exemplify everything that we look for."

The Grizzlies have had 10 players from the state of Montana take the field in a game in the program's still relatively brief existence. Hardy and Mohl will add to that number.

Hardy is a senior at Sentinel High. Mohl is in her final year at Glacier High.

"As we work through it, we're not checking off boxes of where a recruit is from," said Meuchel.

"We're checking off boxes that they are meeting what we want in a Griz softball student-athlete, that they meet the skillset and have the competitiveness, the grit and the determination, and that they academically fit the university and we fit their projected path as well.

"I'm glad we'll be signing two Montana kids in this class. They'll add to our program with their skillsets. The state is definitely adding depth to this sport. I'm thankful we could grab two of the best."

Hardy, who also has experience as a pitcher, was last seen batting .510 as a sophomore for the Spartans, a season cut short by injury prior to the state tournament. Before that, she was seen at just about every camp the program has offered.

"Grace grew up around Griz softball. We've seen her at a lot of our camps, and she's had friends play for us, so she's followed it," said Meuchel. "I'm excited she'll be able to stay and play in her hometown.

"She is an individual who loves the game, loves to go out and take on practices, take on opportunities to get better. She just has a personal drive to be the best athlete. She is showing signs she can be a great ballplayer."

In two years with the Wolfpack, Mohl has batted .425, with 57 hits and 43 RBIs. Twenty-one of her hits have gone for extra bases, 11 of which were home runs.

"This kid can hit," Meuchel said. "When she steps into the box, she has a presence about her that she is going to win this at-bat. She drives the ball with a lot of power."

The addition of Butterfield will give Montana a pitcher in its three most recent classes, following Ashley Ward and Allie Brock.

Butterfield was a second-team all-state selection in Oregon as a sophomore, when she went 20-3 for Glencoe High with a 1.43 ERA and 254 strikeouts in 151 2/3 innings pitched.

She also was named the Pacific Conference Pitcher of the Year as the Crimson Tide won the league title.

Butterfield also plays for the Northwest Bullets. Her age-group club team won a Premier Girls Fastpitch national championship in Irvine, Calif., in August 2018.

"Dana came to camp a couple years ago and really showed her skillset and what she was able to do," said Meuchel. "She is a power pitcher who has great movement. She will make an impact on our staff.

"We've been able to watch her compete on her club team as well. She loves to compete, loves to have the ball in her hand and is a phenomenal student."

Jantzi, a senior at West Albany High, also has been a standout in Oregon, earning first-team all-state honors as a sophomore after being named honorable mention all-state as a freshman.

She, too, plays for the Northwest Bullets.

She made The Oregonian's list of the state's best hitters at the end of her sophomore year, when she was hitting .592, with three home runs and an on-base percentage of .683.

Ryan Borde, the former softball SID at Portland State and now Jantzi's coach at West Albany, said, "She's an extremely dangerous leadoff hitter because of her speed and her ability to hit for power.

"She can beat you by swinging away, bunting for a hit or slapping."

Meuchel says the same thing. "She will be a triple threat offensively for us out of the left side. We have seen the power of her game grow each time we watch her play. She can drag bunt, slap and drive the ball for some power.

"She can hit but do the other parts of the game. She really roams the outfield well and has a great arm. And she is spunky. She'll add a great personality. She is also a good student with high academic honors."

What the signees are saying:

Dana Butterfield (Pitcher; Hillsboro, Ore.):

"I am so thankful that I have been blessed with the ability to play softball and that I have the opportunity to use my gift at the University of Montana. I prayed that I would know exactly where God wanted me to go to school, and from the moment that I stepped on campus I knew something felt different than at any other school. I absolutely love the beauty of Missoula and the amazing community of Griz fans. When I went on my official visit I immediately felt a sense of family within the team and the connection to the community of Missoula. The coaches and players were genuine and made me feel at home. I knew these were the kind people I wanted to be surrounded with for the next four years. I cannot wait to walk out the plans God has for me as a Griz!"

Grace Hardy (Infielder; Missoula, Mont.):

"I'm so excited to get the opportunity to be a Griz and represent my state and hometown alongside my teammate from high school and my former club softball teammates. The first year of Griz softball I was a bat girl and got to see the crowd in the stands and all the excitement inside a Division I dugout. It was so fun and became a dream of mine. Through the softball camps I attended across the Big Sky Conference, I realized this coaching staff and the program's facilities were the best, hands down. Those two qualities made my decision to be a Griz an easy one. I feel blessed to have had the opportunity to be from such a great community and can't wait to represent and be Griz!

Presley Jantzi (Outfielder; Albany, Ore.):

"The second I walked into the Griz facility, I knew it was where I belonged. Every coach was so welcoming and excited that I had come down to visit the beautiful state of Montana. Every player that helped at the camp was thoughtful and willing to help me. I didn't get to see much of the school, but everything about the softball program drew me in right away. Montana's facilities are beautiful. I wanted to choose a college that was a good fit for me school-wise but that would also have an awesome coaching staff and a successful softball program. Choosing to play for Montana was the easiest decision I have ever made."

Kynzie Mohl (Catcher; Kalispell, Mont.):

"I have always dreamed of playing for the Grizzlies. When Coach Meuchel offered me, I immediately knew that I wanted to be a part of their family. I'm very excited to finally become a Grizzly next fall!"

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