Griz, Wildcats split on a wild Friday

Friday, April 28

Missoula, Mont.

2:30 PM

Montana

10-33, 4-9

Weber State

9-28, 3-7

Weber State

Montana

4/28/2023 11:34:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 Photo Gallery Photo Gallery 2

By: Montana Sports Information

Montana and Weber State split their doubleheader on Friday at Grizzly Softball Field as the teams' three-game series opened in Missoula.

The Grizzlies looked as sharp as they have all season in Game 1, winning 6-1 behind the pitching of Allie Brock for just their fourth win over the Wildcats in the teams' last 15 matchups.

Weber State jumped on Montana in Game 2, building a 9-0 lead in the top of the second inning.

The Grizzlies scored four in the second, one in the fourth and five in the sixth to pull within 11-10, which was the final as the Wildcats earned the opening-day split.

The tone for Game 1 was set by a handful of plays in the first inning.

After Weber State loaded the bases with nobody out on a walk and back-to-back singles, Brock got a line drive to the left side that Jaxie Klucewich caught with a diving grab and flipped to Kendall Curtis for a force out at second.

With runners at first and third and two outs, Weber State sent the runner at first base. Stockton threw to second and Curtis cut the throw off to gun down the runner from third trying to steal home.

If that wasn't enough excitement to start the day, Julie Phelps led off the bottom of the first with a double over the center fielder's head and Elise Ontiveros followed with her second home run of the season to make it 2-0.

Montana would hold the lead the rest of the game.

"A lot of our focus this week has been this team wanting to make this weekend a turning point in our season," said coach Melanie Meuchel.

"We had a real professional approach to our game this week. We came out today and really presented that in Game 1. I'm darn proud of our defense in the first inning. That set our tone. I knew at that point we were ready for the day."

Montana added a run in the second and built its lead to 6-0 in the fifth, scoring three runs on five hits. The Grizzlies had 13 hits in the game, their second-highest total of the season.

Hannah Jablonski had an RBI double in the fifth, Kynzie Mohl a two-run pinch-hit single to center.

It wasn't until the top of the seventh that Weber State got to Brock, who was trying for her third career shutout, for a run.

Brock's complete game came on 89 pitches. After getting out of the first inning, she allowed just two hits between the second and sixth innings.

"Allie was very strong on the mound and we made plays and never really let off the gas pedal on offense. Really proud of the fight."

Trying to win back-to-back games against Division I opponents for the first time in more than a year, Montana fell behind 9-0 in the top of the second in Game 2.

The Grizzlies couldn't turn a sacrifice bunt into an out on Game 2's second batter, then had an error on a ground ball on the next batter to load the bases in the top of the first for the second time on Friday.

This time Montana wouldn't get out of it unscathed, allowing seven runs, six of which came with two outs and were unearned.

The Wildcats scored two more runs in the top of the second on a two-run double that made it 9-0. Considering the largest deficit overcome to win a game in program history is 10 runs, the Grizzlies were up against it.

And they were up for the challenge.

Montana punched back with four two-out runs in the bottom of the second, leaving the bases loaded, the first hint the Grizzlies were not going to go away quietly.

Trailing 11-4, Montana added one run in the fourth, then erupted for five runs in the bottom of the sixth in front of a loud and rowdy Senior Weekend crowd that urged the Grizzlies on.

"The crowd was incredible," said Meuchel. "And we had a professional approach, we had each other's back and we were super competitive with two outs.

"Just the feistiness and the belief and the ability to scrap our way with a chance to win it. It felt like there was always a chance. Just be yourself and pass the bat."

Montana had that chance because of the effective work of freshman pitcher Evelyn O'Brien, who entered the game with two on and nobody out in the top of the fourth, when Weber State was threatening to make it a run-rule win.

Grace Haegele got the start and allowed nine runs, though only three were earned. Maggie Joseph allowed two runs, both of which were unearned.

O'Brien threw four innings and faced 14 batters, no-hitting the Wildcats while striking out two and walking two.

Montana wouldn't have come up in the bottom of the seventh in a one-run game without her.

"She stepped up. She was gutsy," said Meuchel. "She did everything she could to help our defense stop the runs so our offense could continue to climb.

"Really proud of her. Being a freshman and stepping in in that situation, she presented herself as, here I am, this is what I've got, and it's good enough."

O'Brien worked a 1-2-3 top of the seventh, sending the game to the bottom half with Weber State up 11-10, but that's where the magic ended.

A ground out and fly out put the Wildcats within an out of the win. Montana got an infield single from its next batter. The throw to first went wide and the runner was cut down at second trying to advance.

Curtis had three hits and drove in three. Chloe Saxton had a two-run, pinch-hit single in the bottom of the sixth that brought Montana within one.

The teams will play the series finale at 1 p.m. on Saturday.