Brock carries Griz to Sunday win

Sunday, February 13

Sacramento, Calif.

10 AM (MT)

Montana

3-2

Santa Clara

1-3

Montana

Santa Clara

Photo by: Derek Johnson

2/13/2022 2:03:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

By: Montana Sports Information

Sophomore Allie Brock came to the rescue on Sunday and pitched the Montana softball team to a 2-1 victory over Santa Clara at Sacramento State on the final day of the Nor Cal Kickoff.

Entering the game in the bottom of the fourth with the Grizzlies leading 2-0 but with bases full of Broncos and nobody out, Brock got a strikeout, gave up a sacrifice fly and ended the inning with another strikeout.

Montana carried that 2-1 lead to the finish, with Brock allowing just one baserunner over the final three innings, on a sixth-inning walk.

The win improved Montana to 3-2 to open the season and upped Brock's record to 3-0 with a 0.82 ERA.

She threw a shutout on Friday as Montana opened with a 3-0 victory over San Jose State and was the starter on Saturday in the Grizzlies' 11-2 win over Saint Mary's.

She finished the weekend with 17 innings pitched and just two runs allowed. She had more strikeouts (12) than hits allowed (9) and walked just four.

Junior pitcher Maggie Joseph made her debut as a starter on Sunday and worked out of trouble in the early innings as Santa Clara (1-3) put multiple runners on base in the first, second and third innings.

In the fourth, she gave up a leadoff double, then issued back-to-back walks to load the bases. Brock entered the game and set down 12 of Santa Clara's final 13 batters.

Montana handed Joseph a 2-0 lead in the top of the first when the Grizzlies scored twice on a hit and an error.

Kylie Becker led off the game with a bunt single. Cami Sellers followed and got on base on an infield error. Kendall Curtis and Presley Jantzi both drove in a run on a fielder's choice.

Jaxie Klucewich, who batted .462 on the weekend, singled in the second. Julie Phelps had a double in the fourth, and Becker had her second hit of the game in the fifth.

Montana batted just .222 on opening weekend but it was enough to win three of five games thanks to the Grizzlies' 1.60 team ERA.

In the two games Montana lost, the Grizzlies were scoreless through seven innings against Saint Mary's and tied 1-1 in the fifth against UC Davis.

Montana will play five games against North Texas, Nevada and Colorado State next weekend at the Tracy Beard College Classic in Melissa, Texas. The tournament will air on FloSoftball.