Griz drop finale 1-0

Saturday, April 23

Sacramento, Calif.

1 PM (MT)

Montana

18-23, 5-9

Sacramento State

25-20, 9-3

Montana

Sacramento State

Photo by: Derek Johnson

4/23/2022 3:55:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

By: Montana Sports Information

The Montana softball team dropped the final game of its series at Sacramento State, falling 1-0 to the Hornets on Saturday afternoon at Shea Stadium.

After limiting the Grizzlies (18-23, 5-9 BSC) to two hits in Game 1 on Friday, a 9-1 Sacramento State win, Marissa Bertuccio was even more in control in Game 3, holding Montana to one hit.

The Grizzlies, who lost 2-1 in Game 2 on Friday, scored two runs in the series on .181 hitting. It was the fewest runs scored in a three-game Big Sky series for Montana since 2018.

Montana dropped to 6-21 all-time against Sacramento State. The Grizzlies are 2-11 against the Hornets on their home field.

Montana's only hit in the game was a leadoff single through the left side by Maygen McGrath to lead off the top of the sixth.

Bertuccio allowed only four baserunners all game, never more than one in an inning.

Sacramento State (25-20, 9-3 BSC), which has a huge series at Weber State next weekend, got the only run it needed in the bottom of the fourth.

After starter Dana Butterfield set down the first two Hornets of the inning, Lewa Day homered to center on a 0-0 pitch. It was only the second hit of the game allowed by Butterfield to that point.

Butterfield (9-11) walked the next two batters she faced before being relieved by Allie Brock, who allowed one hit over 2 1/3 innings.

The game lasted just 92 minutes, as Bertuccio threw 88 pitches, Butterfield and Brock 91.

Montana, which is 1-7 in league games since sweeping Southern Utah on the road the first weekend of April, will host Northern Colorado next weekend at Grizzly Softball Field.

The Bears (18-26, 6-6 BSC) handed Big Sky leader Weber State its first loss of the season on Friday, 7-4. The Wildcats bounced back to win the final two games of the series 18-5 and 10-1.