Griz earn split on Day 2 in St. George

Saturday, February 20

St. George, Utah

11 AM

Montana

Utah State

Photo by: Derek Johnson

2/20/2021 7:20:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

By: Montana Sports Information

The Montana softball team won one and lost one on Saturday as the Dixie State Classic continued in St. George, Utah.

The Grizzlies (2-7) lost to Utah State in their opener, 15-7, giving up a 7-5 lead over the final two innings.

Montana bounced back with a 7-1 win over Dixie State behind three home runs and Tristin Achenbach's 14th complete game.

Montana and Utah State went back and forth in the early game, with the Aggies taking a 2-0 lead before an out had been recorded, on a hit-by-pitch and home run.

The Grizzlies took the lead in the bottom of the second, scoring three runs on four hits, all singles. It was 4-4 after three, the Aggies took a 5-4 lead in the top of the fourth.

That was the score in the bottom of the fifth when Jessica McAlister led off with a single to center and Anna Toon singled down the right-field line.

That brought to the plate freshman Riley Stockton, who was making her Griz debut at catcher after missing the season's first seven games.

On a 1-0 pitch, she hit a home run that gave Montana a 7-5 lead.

But Utah State had a big answer. The Aggies scored four in the sixth, six more in the seventh to storm back for the victory.

McAlister, Toon, Stockton, Maygen McGrath and Jaxie Klucewich all had two hits in the game. McAlister and Toon both scored twice.

Montana did not have long to wait before playing again and did not wait long before taking an early lead on Dixie State.

The Grizzlies scored once in the top of the first but were poised for a bigger inning than that. They had a runner thrown out at the plate and left the bases loaded.

Still, Montana grabbed a lead it would hold throughout on Toon's RBI single up the middle.

McGrath made it 4-0 with a three-run home run in the second, her fourth of the season. McAlister led off the third with a home run, Toon made it 6-0 in the fourth on a sacrifice fly.

Kendall Curtis put the Grizzlies up 7-0 in the sixth when she led off the inning with her first collegiate home run.

That was enough for Achenbach, who allowed just four hits while striking out seven to pick up her second win of the season.

McGrath, Curtis and Kylie Becker all had two-hit games, with McGrath scoring three times.

Montana will face Nevada (6-3) on Sunday at 11 a.m. The Wolf Pack handed No. 2 Washington its first loss of the season on Friday and followed that up with a 13-0 shutout of Dixie State.