Griz pick up first win, split on the day

Friday, March 10

Seattle, Wash.

1 PM (MT)

Montana

1-20

UNLV

13-8

Montana

UNLV

Photo by: Shanna Madison/UM Athletics

3/10/2023 6:38:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

By: Montana Sports Information

The Montana softball team picked up its first win of the season on Friday, shutting down UNLV 2-1 as play at the Seattle U Invitational began at Logan Field.

Allie Brock threw a five-hitter for her 16th career complete game, and Kendall Curtis had the game's big hit, a two-run single in the top of the sixth that turned a 1-0 deficit into a 2-1 lead.

The sixth ended with Riley Stockton throwing out a potential base stealer at second. Brock set the Rebels down in order in the bottom of the seventh.

"It's been a challenging road," said coach Melanie Meuchel, whose team started the day 0-20. "We haven't really settled in.

"We came out today really ourselves from inning one, pitch one. We knew we would win today. We were pretty determined. We made big plays and had hits when we needed them."

It was career win No. 16 for Brock, who threw 122 pitches. After giving up a run in the bottom of the first on two singles, she shut the door on the Rebels the rest of the way.

She pitched 1-2-3 innings in the third, fifth and seventh innings and got out of the fourth after giving up a pair of one-out singles by getting a strikeout and fly out to left.

"She came up with some big pitches and really shut their offense down," said Meuchel, whose team gave up 14 runs to UNLV in a loss last month.

"She moved the ball well and really commanded her pitches. She did an excellent job, and we made some great plays behind her."

Montana left the bases loaded in the top of the first and stranded runners in three of the next four innings as well before coming through in the sixth.

Hannah Jablonski singled up the middle with one out. Grace Hardy followed with a walk, and Presley Jantzi singled to left to load the bases for Curtis.

The senior singled to right on a 2-1 count to give the Grizzlies a lead they would never give back.

In Montana's second game on Friday, the Grizzlies scored in the top of the first on a Kelly Sweyer single up the middle, but Seattle would rally with two runs in the fifth, two in the sixth to win 4-1.

Freshman Grace Haegele kept the Redhawks off the scoreboard through four innings before giving up a pair of runs in the fifth on three hits and an error.

Haegele made it through four batters in the sixth before being relieved by Evelyn O'Brien.

The freshman, from nearby Redmond, took the loss but was competitive against a team that improved to 16-5 with the win and entered the game averaging more than six runs per game.

"We're back home for her. It's a place she's had a lot of success and came out today with that same attitude," said Meuchel.

"The first four weeks have been a learning process for her and she's really had to step up. She pitched in counts in her favor and we played defense behind her. She was solid. She gave us quality innings."

Sweyer, Stockton and Julie Phelps had hits for Montana. The Grizzlies will face UNLV and Seattle again on Saturday.