Griz open league with Saturday sweep

Saturday, March 27

Hillsboro, Ore.

2 PM (MT)

Montana

7-18, 1-0

Portland State

3-15, 0-1

Montana

Portland State

3/27/2021 8:26:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

By: Montana Sports Information

The Montana softball team opened its Big Sky Conference schedule with a pair of victories over Portland State on Saturday afternoon at the Gordon Faber Complex in Hillsboro, Ore.

The Grizzlies (8-18, 2-0 BSC) won the opener 2-1 behind a complete game from Tristin Achenbach, who allowed just four hits.

Montana picked up its first run-rule victory of the season in Game 2, pounding out two home runs and four extra-base hits to aid freshman pitcher Allie Brock, who threw a complete-game six-hitter.

Over 13 innings of at-bats, the Vikings (3-16, 0-2 BSC) scored two runs on 10 hits off Achenbach and Brock.

"I'm really proud of the overall effort by everybody. On the mound, I thought our pitchers threw really well," said coach Melanie Meuchel. "They really commanded the zone.

"They knew where they wanted to throw to some of the hitters, and I felt like they executed it well."

The opener pitted Achenbach against PSU freshman Allicitie Frost, and the game played out like it was staff ace against staff ace, with neither team scoring through the first four innings.

Montana broke through in the top of the fifth when Cami Sellers singled up the middle with two outs to drive in Kylie Becker, who got things rolling with a two-out infield single.

Becker made it 2-0 in the top of the sixth when she came up with the bases loaded and two outs. She took a pitch off her left leg to plate what would be the winning run.

Achenbach allowed a run-scoring double in the bottom of the sixth and had two runners on in the bottom of the seventh when she ended the game with a strikeout.

It was her sixth win of the season, the 22nd complete game of her career.

Brock followed that up with her own complete game. She allowed a run in the bottom of the first, then pitched out of trouble in the second, third and fourth innings.

Portland State would leave seven runners stranded through the first four innings, with Brock and her defense shutting down threat after threat.

"Tristin and Allie both found ways to step up and make big pitches when a little bit of pressure was on them," said Meuchel, whose team turned multiple double plays on Saturday.

"And our defense stepped up and made some plays for us that kind of stopped any momentum."

While Achenbach was in a tense game from the opening inning, Brock got a big lift from the offense.

Montana scored a run in the first, added six more in the third, then run-ruled it with three in the sixth.

Kendall Curtis had RBI singles in the first and third innings, Sellers and Lexi Knauss added RBI doubles in the third as the game got away from the Vikings.

In the sixth, Becker hit a two-run home run to left, McGrath a solo shot to right-center.

Becker scored four runs in the two games and drove in three. Jessica McAlister had a pair of pinch-hit singles. The top five hitters in the lineup all had at least one hit in both games.

"Our upperclassmen have been able to speak to the excitement of Big Sky Conference play, and they led us today out on the field. They played with a lot of confidence and belief," said Meuchel.

"We showed it collectively and consistently on the day. I'm just really proud of our players for continuing to find that drive and belief. It showed through today. They played really well together."

The teams will play the series finale on Sunday at noon (MT).