Griz drop Big Sky openers

Saturday, April 1

Portland, Ore.

2 PM (MT)

Montana

6-24, 0-1

Portland State

10-16, 1-0

Montana

Portland State

Photo by: Ryan Brennecke/UM Athletics

4/1/2023 8:00:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

By: Montana Sports Information

The Montana softball team dropped both ends of a doubleheader on Saturday afternoon as the Grizzlies opened their Big Sky Conference schedule against Portland State at Gordon Faber Field in Hillsboro, Ore.

The Vikings won both games with a walk-off single in the bottom of the fifth, winning the opener 12-4 and following that with a 9-1 victory.

Portland State built big early leads in both games, going up 5-0 after two innings, 11-0 after three in Game 1. In Game 2, the Vikings led 3-0 after two innings, 7-0 after three.

Olivia Grey threw a complete game in the opener to get the better of Montana starter Allie Brock, who gave up eight runs in 2 2/3 innings before being relieved by Maggie Joseph.

Trailing 11-0, Montana got on the scoreboard in the top of the fourth on a two-run double by Julie Phelps.

The Grizzlies added two more runs in the top of the fifth on a double by Riley Stockton and a single by Chloë Saxton to pull within 11-4.

Portland State walked it off in the bottom of the fifth, using one hit and a pair of Montana errors, two of a season-high four errors for the Grizzlies in the game, to record its fourth straight win.

The Vikings made it five straight wins in Game 2. Montana had just three hits off PSU starter Allicitie Frost, who entered the game with a 1-4 record and an ERA of 8.04.

Elise Ontiveros singled in the first, Stockton singled in the second and Kynzie Mohl connected for a pinch-hit home run in the fifth, the first home run of her career.

Portland State scored seven runs off Griz starter Grace Haegele, who was relieved by Evelyn O'Brien in the top of the third.

Needing one run in the bottom of the fifth to end it, the Vikings opened the inning going single-double-single to mirror their Game 1 victory.

The teams will play the series finale at 1 p.m. (MT) on Sunday.