Bats come alive, Griz open with split

Friday, February 12

Phoenix, Ariz.

12:30 PM

Montana

0-1

Oregon

2-0

Montana

Oregon

Photo: Grand Canyon Athletics

2/12/2021 8:54:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

By: Montana Sports Information

After opening the Grand Canyon Kickoff Classic with an 8-0 loss to No. 10/11 Oregon on Friday afternoon, the Montana softball team came to life once the sun went down in Phoenix.

The Grizzlies scored four times in the bottom of the third against the host Lopes, then went ahead for good on a pinch-hit grand slam by Jessica McAlister in the fifth.

Behind a strong relief appearance by Tristin Achenbach, who struck out four in 2 1/3 innings, three coming with the bases loaded, Montana defeated Grand Canyon 9-4.

It was a daunting task in the opener against the Ducks. Oregon would win in five innings, no-hitting Montana in what was a perfect game for Samaria Diaz and Raegan Breedlove.

They faced 15 Montana batters and set them all down in order, with five strikeouts, six fly outs and four groundouts.

Oregon got to Achenbach for one in the first, three in the second and added four in the third.

It was the fifth no-hitter thrown against Montana, the second by Oregon, and the first perfect game.

Montana had just one hit through the first two innings against Grand Canyon and fell behind 2-0 when the Lopes scored two in the first against Allie Brock, who was making her collegiate debut.

The Grizzlies' offense would finally begin to click in the third, when they scored four runs on four hits.

Cami Sellers had an RBI single, as did Kendall Curtis, to tie the score at 2-2. Montana went up 4-2 when McKenna Tjaden hit a fly ball to right that was misplayed and allowed two to score.

The game had six unearned runs in all with the teams combining for seven errors.

Brock allowed two in the top of the fourth, both unearned, as were the two she gave up in the first. That allowed Grand Canyon, playing as the visiting team, to tie it at 4-4.

Achenbach was a big presence late in the game. She came on with two outs and the bases loaded in the top of the fifth and ended the threat with a strikeout.

Montana would win it in the bottom of the fifth. Sellers and Maygen McGrath singled, Curtis walked to load the bases for McAlister, who would come up as a pinch hitter.

Her drive to just left of dead center put Montana up 8-4.

It was the first grand slam for the Grizzlies since McGrath had one at Southern Utah on the final day of the regular season in May 2019.

Achenbach worked out of potential trouble again in the top of the sixth, when she walked the bases loaded with one out. She came through with back-to-back strikeouts to keep it a four-run margin.

McGrath added the game's final run on a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the sixth.

Montana had 11 hits in the win, with Sellers going 3 for 4 and McGrath, Curtis and Jaxie Klucewich all collecting two.

The Grizzlies (1-1) will face Weber State (0-2) at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Grand Canyon (1-2) at 4 p.m.

The Wildcats fell 9-0 to Oregon and 8-2 to Grand Canyon on Friday.