Curtis named Big Sky Player of the Week

Montana senior Kendall Curtis was named the Big Sky Conference Player of the Week on Monday after leading the Grizzlies to a pair of victories over the weekend at the Seattle U Invitational.

Curtis went 6 for 11 (.545) in two games against UNLV and three against the host Redhawks as Montana picked up its first two wins of the season. Curtis drove in three and scored twice.

Curtis had six hits through the season's first 20 games, over Montana's first four tournament weekends. She matched that output over the fifth weekend, with a pair of two-hit games on Saturday.

"The season hasn't started off how she anticipated or envisioned, but she stayed with the grind," said coach Melanie Meuchel.

"She is a leader in so many ways. To watch her step up and be Kendall Curtis at the plate and be the hitter she is, I was so excited for her."

It wasn't just the number of hits Curtis had that were key to Montana breaking into the win column, against UNLV on Friday then against the Rebels again on Saturday. It was the timing of those hits.

She had the sixth-inning game-winning hit against UNLV on both Friday and Saturday.

With Montana trailing UNLV 1-0 in the top of the sixth on Friday, Curtis came up with the bases loaded and one out. She singled to right to drive in two runs that would hold up in the Grizzlies' 2-1 victory.

It was Montana's first win of the season.

The next afternoon against the Rebels she came to the plate in a 4-4 game in the bottom of the sixth with one out and nobody on and sent a 1-0 pitch over the fence. Final: Montana 5, UNLV 4.

It was Montana's second win of the season.

"She really pushed our team forward to something that we've been working so hard for," said Meuchel. "I'm really, really proud of Kendall Curtis.

"To watch her celebrate, then watch her team celebrate, their pure excitement was really rewarding."

Montana got outscored 168-43 over the season's first four weekends while starting 0-20, but any doubts or defeatism that may have produced was not carried onto Logan Field over the weekend.

The Grizzlies swept UNLV and played a pair of tight games against Seattle, a team that is now 19-6.

Montana also played multiple early-season games against Middle Tennessee (18-6), Hawaii (16-9) and Grand Canyon (24-3), and single games against Boston University (17-6) and San Diego State (15-7).

"We've been through quite a bit over the course of five weeks with plenty of challenges, whether that's been injury, our opponents or the opportunity to get out(side) and practice," said Meuchel.

"It's been a challenging nonconference but a time we are growing together and have a lot of faith in what we are doing. This weekend I saw us settle in to who we are a lot more and who we can become."

Montana will host Carroll in a doubleheader on Monday, March 20, Providence in a doubleheader on Tuesday, March 28, before opening Big Sky Conference play at Portland State the first weekend of April.

"I am proud of this team and the way we have stood together through the challenging times and know there are great days ahead of us," said Meuchel.

"We know the best part of the season is sitting in front of us and know there is still great opportunity for our team."

University of Montana Athletics

Players Mentioned

Kendall Curtis

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