Griz open with two wins in Phoenix

Friday, March 6

Phoenix, Ariz.

2:30 PM

Montana

10-10

Saint Joseph's

3-8

Montana

Saint Joseph's

3/6/2020 11:09:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

By: Montana Sports Information

The Montana softball team used a complete game from Tristin Achenbach to win its opener and a 14-hit attack to win its second game as the Grizzlies opened the Lopes Up Classic in Phoenix with a pair of victories on Friday.

The Grizzlies (11-10) and Achenbach limited Saint Joseph's to five hits to win 5-1. Montana then turned around and outscored host Grand Canyon 10-7 to move back above .500 for the season.

Montana jumped to early leads in both games, going up 3-0 on the Hawks on a three-run home run by Cami Sellers in the top of the second. It was her fourth of the season.

That would be more than enough support for Achenbach, who allowed just two hits through the first five innings.

Montana added two more runs in the fourth, on RBI singles by Maygen McGrath and Morgan Johnson, to go up 5-0. Johnson had three hits in the game.

Saint Joseph's scored its only run in the bottom of the fourth, on a solo home run with two outs.

Achenbach threw 118 pitches to record her fifth complete game of the season, the 11th of her career.

Montana struck early again against Grand Canyon, turning five hits and an error into a 5-0 lead before the top of the first was over.

Johnson and McKenna Tjaden had back-to-back two-run singles.

Grand Canyon got to starter Michaela Hood for three runs in the bottom of the third, all unearned after an earlier error, on a two-out, three-run home run.

Montana would answer right back with three runs on four hits in the top of the fourth to extend its lead to 9-4. Jessica McAlister had a two-run, pinch-hit double in the inning.

After Hood gave up back-to-back doubles in the bottom of the fourth, she was relieved by Ashley Ward, who got the final out, then pitched a scoreless fifth.

With Montana leading 10-6, Ward got into trouble in the bottom of the sixth, giving up three singles to make it 10-7 and bring the tying run to the plate.

Achenbach came on in relief and got a fly out to left and a strikeout to end the threat. She pitched a hit-less seventh.

Montana had a season-high 14 hits, with McGrath going 4 for 4 to become the first Griz player to have a four-hit game this season.

Tjaden went 2 for 4 with three RBIs and a pair of runs scored. Johnson drove in two and scored twice as well.

Montana will face 17-5 UNLV at 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, then take on Grand Canyon for a second time at 5 p.m.