Griz top Bearcats, finish 3-2 in Phoenix

Sunday, March 6

Phoenix, Ariz.

9 AM

Montana

9-11

Binghamton

7-8

Binghamton

Montana

3/6/2022 12:04:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

By: Montana Sports Information

The Montana softball team used a three-run sixth inning to defeat Binghamton 3-1 on Sunday morning as the Grizzlies wrapped up play at the Grand Canyon Invitational in Phoenix.

Allie Brock allowed six hits and one run over six innings to pick up win No. 5 of the season. Dana Butterfield pitched a scoreless seventh to earn her first collegiate save.

The win gave Montana a 3-2 record in Phoenix, 9-11 overall, with the Grizzlies scheduled to play their next nine games at home, starting with next weekend's Montana Invitational at Grizzly Softball Field.

That Montana was in a tight game on Sunday morning was no surprise. Seven of the Grizzlies' last eight games have been decided by two or fewer runs.

Binghamton opened the scoring in the top of the first when the Bearcats used a leadoff single and a two-out RBI triple to make it 1-0.

It would remain a one-run game until the bottom of the sixth, when Montana struck for three runs on two hits.

Jaxie Klucewich reached on an infield error to open the inning. She scored two batters later when Maygen McGrath also reached on an infield error.

Presley Jantzi doubled to left to score McGrath, Kylie Becker followed with an RBI double of her own to right-center to score Jantzi and make it 3-1.

Montana brought Butterfield in to pitch the seventh, and Binghamton quickly put runners on first and third with nobody out on a single to center and a bunt single that left runners at the corners.

Butterfield got a foul out to first, a strikeout and a ground out to herself to earn the save without allowing a run.

Montana got its ninth win of the season despite having just five hits. One of those came off the bat of Hannah Jablonski, who had a single in her first at-bat as a Grizzly to lead off the third.

The Grizzlies will open the three-day, six-game Montana Invitational with a doubleheader against DePaul on Friday starting at 11:30 a.m.

On Saturday and Sunday, DePaul will face Seattle, followed by a Montana-Seattle game.