Griz split Friday games in El Paso

Friday, February 16

El Paso, Texas

11 AM

Montana

3-3

Purdue-Fort Wayne

1-4

Montana

Purdue-Fort Wayne

2/16/2024 5:48:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

By: Montana Sports Information

The Montana softball team won one and lost one on Friday as the Grizzlies opened play at the UTEP Invitational in El Paso, Texas.

The Grizzlies (3-4) opened their day with a complete 5-1 victory over Purdue-Fort Wayne, then fell to the host Miners, who improved to 7-1 with a 6-0 victory.

Grace Haegele got the start against the Mastodons and gave up one run on two hits in the bottom of the first. She only allowed three more hits over the next six innings to collect her second win of the season.

Her second complete game of the season, her fifth as a Grizzly, came on a career-high 107 pitches. She struck out four.

Montana tied the score at 1-1 on an error in the top of the second, then took the lead for good in the fourth when freshman Riley Peschek hit a two-run double to the fence on a full count to make it 3-1.

Kelly Sweyer, pinch hitting, made it 5-1 in the top of the seventh with her seventh career home run, a two-run shot, the first for a Grizzly this season.

Haegele (2-1) allowed one hit in the third, one in the fourth and one in the sixth.

"Grace threw a heck of a game," said coach Melanie Meuchel. "She was real competitive in what she was doing, really in control of everything.

"Offensively, we put people on and came up with some big hits and supplied the pressure. I was really proud of our team."

Montana wrapped up play at the Mardi Gras Mambo in Youngsville, La., on Sunday, then learned its flight to begin the return trip to Missoula on Monday had been cancelled.

The Grizzlies bussed to Houston on Monday, then made the long trip from Houston to El Paso, a mere 750 miles, in minivans and SUVs on Tuesday. It made Friday's win all that more impressive.

"For us to be resilient through everything and then to have an answer was a huge step for us," said Meuchel. "I thought we were so focused, so present, so determined and just executed in every way."

Montana ran into a strong UTEP team in the Grizzlies' second game on Friday and freshman left-handed pitcher Faith Aragon, who struck out five while facing 23 batters through six innings.

The Grizzlies collected just two hits in the loss, a double by Riley Stockton in the fourth and a double by Jocelyn Eisen in the sixth.

"She's a lefty and brought it in on us a little bit," said Meuchel. "She got us to swing out of our zone and chase some things. We got unbalanced at the plate and didn't overcome that."

UTEP got to Montana starter Emmalyn Brinka for four runs on four hits in the first, then added solo runs in the fourth and fifth innings.

Brinka (1-3) allowed nine hits over 4 2/3 innings while throwing 99 pitches. Freshman Rylee Rehbein allowed two hits while throwing 1 1/3 innings of relief.

In four relief appearances this season, covering 4 2/3 innings, Rehbein has an ERA of 0.00 with five strikeouts and one walk.

Montana will face Nebraska at 9:30 a.m. and New Mexico State at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday as part of NMSU's Troy Cox Classic in Las Cruces.