Shorthanded Griz rally twice, take doubleheader

Down six of its 19 players, three of whom were All-Big Sky Conference last season, the Montana softball team, just 13 deep, pulled together and rallied twice on Saturday to take a doubleheader from MSU Billings at Grizzly Softball Field in Missoula.

Montana won the opener 4-2 on a three-run home run from Kendall Curtis in the bottom of the eighth. In Game 2, the Grizzlies trailed 4-1 before putting up eight runs in the fourth and eight more in the sixth to win 17-4.

"I'm just really proud the players, the way they stepped up. They knew what they had to come to the ballpark and do," said coach Melanie Meuchel.

"There was just a lot of confidence in their eyes and a lot of belief that they were going to put together the best performance they could and grind as long as they had to."

Game 1 started with Jaxie Klucewich, usually the starter in left, playing second base. That bumped Kendall Curtis to short, where she played next to freshman Grace Hardy, the starter at third. Anna Toon got the start at first.

"I'm really happy with the way they came out and played, wherever they played, whenever they played," said Meuchel. "It never really felt like we were in panic mode."

The opener turned into a pitchers' duel, with Allie Brock throwing a complete game for Montana.

She would allow just three hits over eight innings of work while striking out 12. She gave up a run in the top of the sixth that put the Grizzlies in a 1-0 hole, and MSU Billings plated their runner that started the top of the eighth on second base, which put the Yellowjackets up 2-1.

Montana answered MSU Billings' first run with a run in the bottom of the sixth. Klucewich led off with an infield single, and Curtis followed with the team's first well-hit ball of the day, an RBI double down the left-field line.

Trailing 2-1 in the bottom of the eighth and with its own runner starting the inning on second base, Montana got a walk by Klucewich, which set the stage for Curtis's walk-off, a no-doubter over the fence in left.

Curtis would finish 2 for 3 and drive in all four of her team's runs. Julie Phelps, hitting in the No. 6 spot, also had a pair of hits.

In Game 2, MSU Billings scored four times in the opening four innings on just three hits as Montana walked three and hit three batters.

Trailing 4-1, the Grizzlies started passing the bat in the fourth, when they came through with eight runs on six hits to take the lead for good. Toon and Hardy both had two-run doubles.

Montana added eight more in the sixth, with Hardy coming inches away from a grand slam. She settled for an RBI single off the top of the fence, part of her two-hit, three-RBI game.

Riley Stockton, the starting catcher who saw time late in the game at first base, went 3 for 4 with four RBIs and two runs scored. Toon, who pitched the final two innings, scored three times. Five players had multiple hits.

"It was great team offense. Just pass the bat. It's always contagious. You see what the person in front of you did and you want to match it," Meuchel said. "It felt like they settled into the box and loved every challenge they had in front of them today."

Montana will face MSU Billings for a third time at 11 a.m. on Sunday.

University of Montana Athletics

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Players Mentioned

Allie Brock

Kendall Curtis

Jaxie Klucewich

Julie Phelps

Riley Stockton

Anna Toon

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