Bears drop Griz to elimination bracket

Wednesday, May 10

Ogden, Utah

Noon

Montana

10-36

Northern Colorado

22-20

Montana

Northern Colorado

Photo by: Big Sky Conference

5/10/2023 4:32:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

By: Montana Sports Information

No. 6 Montana opened the Big Sky Conference Championship with a 9-1 run-rule loss to No. 3 Northern Colorado at Wildcat Softball Field in Ogden, Utah, on Wednesday afternoon.

The loss drops the Grizzlies (10-36) to the elimination bracket, where they will face either No. 1 Idaho State or No. 4 Portland State at noon on Thursday.

Montana was limited to one run and six hits on Wednesday by Northern Colorado starter Isabelle Dinapoli, who won her eighth game of the season.

The Grizzlies were not able to break through until the sixth inning. Jaxie Klucewich led off with a single and later scored when Kelly Sweyer singled up the middle with two outs.

The Bears (22-20) got to Montana starter Allie Brock in the bottom of the first on a pair of RBI singles that made it 2-0.

Northern Colorado went up 6-0 in the bottom of the fourth. Alyssa Wenzel had a one-out, bases-loaded triple, then later scored on a sacrifice fly.

After Klucewich scored to make it a 6-1 game in the top of the sixth, the Bears answered with three runs on three hits in the bottom of the sixth off reliever Grace Haegele,

An RBI ground out made it 7-1, then back-to-back, two-out RBI singles, one just out of the reach of a diving Chloë Saxton, the other to the fence in right-center, gave the Bears the walk-off win.

It was Montana's 15th run-rule loss of the season, the Grizzlies' third in their seventh trip to the Big Sky Conference Championship.

Presley Jantzi had one of Montana's six hits, a single to left in the top of the fifth. That extended her hitting streak to seven games, the longest of the season for the Grizzlies.

Northern Colorado advances to face No. 2 Sacramento State on Wednesday evening.