Griz persevere, take series finale

Sunday, April 2

Portland, Ore.

1 PM (MT)

Montana

7-25, 1-2

Portland State

11-17, 2-1

Montana

Portland State

Photo by: Ryan Brennecke/UM Athletics

4/2/2023 7:27:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

By: Montana Sports Information

First, the game was delayed because of weather. Then it was delayed again. More rain. Then it switched locations, to an artificial-turf field nearby.

Finally, more than three hours after its scheduled start, the first pitch was thrown.

Despite it all, Montana played its way to a 2-1 victory over Portland State on Sunday at the Gordon Faber Recreation Complex in Hillsboro, Ore., to take the teams' series finale.

The Grizzlies scored once in the first, retook the lead in the top of the sixth, then rode the right arm of Allie Brock, who threw a three-hitter, to their first Big Sky Conference win of the season.

"I'm super proud of our team," said coach Melanie Meuchel, whose squad took a pair of run-rule losses on Saturday.

"It was a long day. Get warm, then the rain would come. Get warm again, more rain would come. For the athletes to be ready to go and the way they were ready to go was impressive."

Once the game did start, Montana wasted little time putting the pressure on Portland State's defense.

Three of the Grizzlies' first four batters walked, and Montana went up 1-0 when Hannah Jablonski drew another walk, this one with two outs.

That run would hold up until Portland State tied the score in the bottom of the fourth on a sacrifice fly that drove in an unearned run against Brock.

The game remained tied until the top of the sixth, when Riley Stockton led off with a single to left.

After pinch runner Makena Strong was sacrificed to second, Kelly Sweyer came through with a two-out, pinch-hit single to left, scoring Strong with what would be the game-winning run.

"When we called on our bench, they came through. They really stepped up," said Meuchel.

With the lead back in her hands, Brock delivered, even with Portland State getting a runner on second base with less than two outs in both the bottom of the sixth and seventh innings.

She ended the sixth with a fly out and foul out. With a runner on second and nobody out in the seventh, Brock got a foul out and a fly out, then struck out a pinch hitter on a swinging 3-2 pitch to end it.

It was Brock's 18th career complete game. She did it on 101 pitches.

"She had a fierce, competitive approach today," said Meuchel. "She spotted pitches up well. We made some big plays behind her, but when she needed to make a pitch, she made the pitches she needed to."

Julie Phelps had two hits and scored a run. Stockton went 2 for 4 to extend her hitting streak to six games. She has hit safely in nine of the last 10 games in which she's played.

Montana will face No. 18 Oregon (22-11) on Monday at 1 p.m. (MT) in Eugene. The Ducks lost 4-0 at Oregon State on Sunday but took the series, winning twice on Saturday.