Griz split on opening day

Thursday, May 13

Ogden, Utah

Noon

Montana

17-28

Sacramento State

14-26

Montana

Sacramento State

5/13/2021 8:11:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 Photo Gallery Photo Gallery 2

By: Montana Sports Information

The Montana softball team won one and lost one on Thursday as the Big Sky Conference Championship opened at Wildcat Softball Field in Ogden, Utah.

The No. 6 Grizzlies started their day snapping a 10-game losing streak against No. 3 Sacramento State, winning 6-3 behind a three-hitter from senior Tristin Achenbach.

Montana would fall 3-1 to No. 2 Southern Utah in the final game of the day despite outhitting the Thunderbirds 8-4.

The Grizzlies will face No. 4 Northern Colorado at noon on Friday, with the loser being eliminated.

"The grit, the fight, our team was tough today," said coach Melanie Meuchel. "The Griz were ready to play and competed really hard. I'm proud of the way Day 1 went.

"We didn't get the outcome of Game 2 we wanted, but we gave everything we had today, and that's what's going to happen tomorrow."

Southern Utah advances to face No. 5 Portland State in the top half of the bracket on Friday after the Vikings knocked off Northern Colorado, then upset No. 1 Weber State 2-1.

Weber State and Sacramento State will play in a loser-out game to open Friday's schedule.

Maygen McGrath set the tone for Montana early on Thursday, hitting a two-run home run in the top of the first against the Hornets.

Achenbach would give up a three-run home run in the bottom half of the inning, but that was all Sacramento State would get. The Hornets had just one hit off Achenbach over the final six innings.

"She was tough. She was tough all day long for us and gave us every opportunity and chance," said Meuchel.

"We made some great plays behind her. She really dominated fully on the mound and really commanded the games."

Montana retook the lead in the top of the second on an RBI single by Jaxie Klucewich and a McGrath sacrifice fly.

McGrath made it 5-3 in the fifth when she led off with a double and scored on a sacrifice fly by Brooklyn Weisgram. The Grizzlies scored their final run on an RBI single from Lexi Knauss in the seventh.

McGrath went 3 for 3 with three RBIs and two runs scored. McKenna Tjaden had a pair of hits as Montana out-hit Sacramento State 11-3.

It marked the fourth time in five trips to the Big Sky tournament that Montana has opened the postseason with a win.

Achenbach threw 108 pitches in Game 1, so she was ready to get the start against Southern Utah in Game 2 as well.

She would allow just four hits over seven innings against the Thunderbirds, but SUU came through with three RBI extra-base hits, a run-scoring triple and two RBI doubles.

"She wants the ball. She gave us every chance to take that game," said Meuchel.

McGrath singled in the first to extend her hitting streak to 16 games, then singled again in the third on a play that would eventually plate the game's first run, when Kylie Becker scored on a throwing error.

Southern Utah scored twice in the bottom of the third to take the lead for good but needed a big-time defensive play in the fifth to hold it.

With runners on second and third and McGrath, who was 5 for 5 on the day at that point, at the plate with two outs in a 2-1 game, SUU's right fielder made a diving catch on an opposite-field line drive by McGrath.

It was one of a number of close plays that ultimately decided the game.

"It's a game of inches. A few inches here and there, and we're sitting in a much better spot," said Meuchel. "We gave ourselves some opportunities to do some things.

"Maygen's ball was hard hit. You couldn't ask for a better ball with runners on. It was a great play by their right fielder."

Southern Utah made it 3-1 in the bottom of the fifth, and SUU starter Tyler Denhart, who went the distance to collect the win, got out of a two-on, nobody-out jam in the sixth.

McGrath went 2 for 3, as did Julie Phelps.

Montana had eight hits, all singles. Southern Utah had four hits. Its three extra-base hits all scored a run.

Next up will be Northern Colorado. The Bears swept the series when they and the Grizzlies played last month in Greeley, Colo.