Griz split on Saturday in Phoenix

Saturday, March 7

Phoenix, Ariz.

12:30 PM

Montana

11-11

UNLV

19-5

Montana

UNLV

3/7/2020 7:53:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

By: Montana Sports Information

It was a day of dominance for Montana's star pitchers on Saturday as both Michaela Hood and Tristin Achenbach threw stellar complete games at the Lopes Up Classic in Phoenix.

Hood and Achenbach combined to throw 13 innings and allow just one unearned run as the Grizzlies (12-11) fell to UNLV 1-0 and topped host Grand Canyon 1-0.

Facing a Rebels team that improved to 20-5 with the win, Hood allowed a run in the third.

With a runner on second and one out, Hood got a ground ball to second that was thrown away, allowing the runner to score from second. Hood would follow with a ground out and strikeout to end the inning.

UNLV would finish with just three hits off Hood.

Jenny Bressler defeated Montana for the second time this season, throwing a two-hit shutout for the Rebels.

Kylie Becker had a single in the third, Maygen McGrath a single in the fourth.

Achenbach needed just 104 pitches for her third career shutout, her second in eight days after blanking Michigan State last Saturday.

She improved to 3-0 on the weekend with a 0.45 ERA and just 10 hits allowed in 15 2/3 innings in three appearances.

Grand Canyon put runners on base in the first, second and third innings, but Achenbach got tougher to touch as the game went on. She allowed just one base runner over the final four innings.

She allowed five hits while striking out three.

Ryan Denhart was nearly as good for the Lopes. She gave up two hits in the first, two more in the second when Montana loaded the bases before setting down the final 14 Grizzlies she faced.

Montana, which was playing as the home team, scored the only run it would need in the bottom of the first.

After Kylie Becker, who had two of Montana's four hits, led off the inning with a double, she advanced to third on a McGrath fly out to right.

McKenna Tjaden, who has a team-high four RBIs on the weekend, drove Becker home with a two-out single to center.

The Grizzlies will conclude play at the Lopes Up Classic with a game at 11 a.m. (MT) on Sunday against Saint Joseph's, a team Montana defeated 5-1 on Friday.