Griz take two from Argos

The Montana softball team opened its fall exhibition schedule with a pair of victories over Providence on Sunday afternoon at Grizzly Softball Field in Missoula.

Montana jumped out to a 6-0 lead in Game 1, had its lead cut to one, then scored twice in the bottom of the sixth to win 8-5.

The Grizzlies got out to a 4-1 lead in Game 2, saw the Argos tie it in the top of the sixth and answered with two more bottom-of-the-sixth runs to win 6-4.

"I'm proud of the way we fought and scrapped through it," said coach Melanie Meuchel. "There were times we were presented with challenges and we just continued to believe and scrap our way through.

"For coming out on Day 1, I'm really happy the way Griz Softball came out and made a statement for who we can be."

Montana went up 2-0 in the bottom of the second in the opener when Grace Hardy ripped a two-run single up the middle.

The Grizzlies made it 6-0 in the fourth when Presley Jantzi came up with the bases loaded and drove in three with a deep drive that went off the fence in right-center.

The next batter, Kelly Sweyer, singled home Jantzi.

Providence got to Game 1 starter Allie Brock for three runs in the fifth, two more in the sixth to cut Montana's lead to 6-5.

Holding just a one-run lead, Kendall Curtis put Montana up 7-5 with an RBI double that scored Jaxie Klucewich. Jantzi later scored on an Argo error for the game's final run.

Freshman Evelyn O'Brien pitched the seventh for what would have been a save in the regular season, with Brock getting the win.

Montana had a chance to go up big in Game 2 when the Grizzlies loaded the bases in the second with nobody out, but Providence got a pair of force outs at home to get out of it with two runs allowed.

One run came on a walk, one on a bases-loaded single by Klucewich.

In Game 1, Montana had the bases loaded in the third with one out when a sharply hit line drive by Julie Phelps was snagged by the first baseman, which started an inning-ending double play.

Montana didn't get anything easy on Sunday, with both teams making a number of stellar defensive plays, including Elise Ontiveros crashing into the fence in left to make a key catch that ended a threat.

"We put some pressure on them and they made some big-time plays. We have a hard line drive and they go double play out of it. There is a chance we score all three if it gets by that glove," said Meuchel.

"They were a good team and played well against us."

Montana slowly built a 4-1 lead in Game 2, scoring two in the second, one in the third on a Phelps RBI single, another in the fourth on an RBI single by Curtis.

Providence tied it off Montana starter Dana Butterfield with one in the fifth, two in the sixth.

With one out in the bottom of the sixth and the freshman facing a full count, Chloe Saxton hit a hard single to center that started the game-winning sequence.

"You go out and recruit these athletes you know can play here. It's fun to watch them come up and have opportunities and kind of shine in those opportunities," said Meuchel.

"Her teammates really noticed it, really got excited for it, and it really kind of started off our sixth inning for us."

Klucewich advanced Saxton to second with a groundout to first, Curtis moved her to third with a single to shortstop.

That brought up Jantzi, who would finish the doubleheader with four hits, five RBI, three doubles and three runs scored.

Largely an opposite-field hitter as a freshman, when she batted a robust .353 and led the team in doubles, Jantzi had a double to right-center in both Game 1 and 2.

"We've been working on my swing a lot, just the little things," said Jantzi. "Now I'm starting to pull the ball to the right side. I hit it a lot to the left side last year.

"It's just stepping into the box, knowing I'm good and knowing I can do things without having to overthink it. I feel like it showed."

With two runners on and two outs in the bottom of the sixth in Game 2 and the score tied, Jantzi showed her range by doubling down the left-field line.

Saxton scored from third, Curtis all the way from first. It turned out to be the game-winning hit.

"Getting that hit was a stepping-up thing. I'm not an upperclassman, but I want to do big things for my team," said Jantzi.

Butterfield pitched a 1-2-3 seventh to finish off the complete game.

Klucewich, who reached base six times in the two games and scored three runs, had four hits and was the starter at short, giving Montana a senior middle infield, with Curtis starting at second.

Hardy started Game 1 at third base, freshman Breiana Bonkavich started Game 2. Hannah Jablonski started Game 1 at first base, Sweyer started Game 2.

Ontiveros in left, Phelps in center and Jantzi in right was the starting outfield trio for both games, with Riley Stockton starting twice at catcher.

Curtis matched Jantzi and Klucewich with four hits. Phelps had three hits, including a triple, with Sweyer also finishing with three hits.

Montana's three pitchers allowed 12 hits while striking out 12 and allowing five walks. They allowed eight earned runs.

The Grizzlies are scheduled to play Columbia Basin and Miles Community College on Saturday, Miles and Carroll next Sunday.

University of Montana Athletics

Players Mentioned

Allie Brock

Dana Butterfield

Kendall Curtis

Grace Hardy

Hannah Jablonski

Presley Jantzi

Jaxie Klucewich

Elise Ontiveros

Julie Phelps

Riley Stockton

Kelly Sweyer

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