Griz put up 20, sweep doubleheader

Saturday, March 19

Missoula, Mont.

1 PM

Montana

11-14

Providence (MT)

0-13

Providence

Montana

Photo by: Tommy Martino/UM Athletics

3/19/2022 7:32:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 Photo Gallery Photo Gallery 2

By: Montana Sports Information

The Montana softball team swept a doubleheader from Providence on Saturday afternoon at Grizzly Softball Field in Missoula, winning 10-1 and 10-4.

Ten players had at least one hit, seven drove in a run or more as Montana (12-14) upped its winning streak to a season-high three games as the start of Big Sky Conference play closes in.

The Grizzlies batted .408 across the two games and pounded out nine extra-base hits, including four home runs, two from Maygen McGrath, two from Kelly Sweyer, the first of her career.

Allie Brock threw a complete game in the opener to improve to 7-8 on the season. Dana Butterfield went the distance in Game 2 to improve to 5-6.

Montana scored three runs in the first inning in Game 1 and raced out to a 4-0 lead in Game 2. The Grizzlies never trailed.

"We asked a few things for us to continue to move forward," said coach Melanie Meuchel. "I thought we were the aggressor in our at-bats. I felt like we had good plate appearances and some great at-bats.

"I'm really proud of the efforts we gave today. We got a lot of people in and got some opportunities."

Fresh off winning Big Sky Player of the Week honors on Tuesday, Maygen McGrath got Montana rolling in Game 1 with a two-run home run in the bottom of the first.

Julie Phelps, who went 4 for 5 in the doubleheader, made it 3-0 in the first with an RBI single up the middle that scored Kylie Becker.

The Grizzlies scored four more in the third with two outs, including a two-run single up the middle by Elise Ontiveros, who had two hits on the day and has a hit in four of Montana's last five games since moving into a starting role in left.

Grace Hardy, pinch hitting in the bottom of the fourth, made it 10-1 with a two-run double down the left-field line for her first career extra-base hit and RBI.

That was more than enough for Brock, who limited to Argos (0-14) to three hits.

McGrath got Montana rolling again in Game 2. After Jaxie Klucewich and Cami Sellers opened the first with singles, McGrath ripped a no-doubter over the fence in left for home run No. 6 of the season.

Kelly Sweyer followed with a bomb to straightaway center to make it 4-0 before an out had been recorded, her first career home run. She would add another leading off the bottom of the sixth, this one to left.

She scored three times on Saturday and drove in three.

"We have so many players who work so hard every day at practice and continue to grind," said Meuchel. "We get to see things in practice and know people are so close to putting it all together.

"For her and others to be able to step up and get the opportunities and really settle in to what they show at practice is so exciting to watch, as is the excitement of their teammates who watch them put in the work every day."

Montana scored twice in the third on a sacrifice fly and steal of home, twice in the fourth on a two-run triple by Phelps and twice in the sixth on Sweyer's second home run and an RBI single by Brooklyn Weisgram, who had three hits on the day.

Butterfield three a six-hitter for her eighth complete game of the season.

Montana will now turn its attention to Big Sky Conference play. The Grizzlies will host defending tournament champion Portland State next weekend in Missoula.

"I feel like we've put in the grind of travel and the grind against our opponents," said Meuchel. "It's always a building process and you hope you're getting hot at the right time.

"I think people are starting to play very consistent for us."

Montana will play a doubleheader against Portland State at Grizzly Softball Field on Saturday, a single game against the Vikings on Sunday.