Griz drop pair of games in Phoenix

Saturday, March 2

Phoenix, Ariz.

9 AM

Montana

5-13

Toledo

6-5

Montana

Toledo

Photo by: Tanner Ecker/UM Photo

3/2/2024 7:27:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

By: Montana Sports Information

The Montana softball team lost a pair of games to Toledo and Pacific on Saturday as the Purple Classic continued in Phoenix.

The Grizzlies (5-14) built nice leads in both games, going up 4-0 on the Rockets and 5-2 on the Tigers, but couldn't hold the advantage in either, losing 6-5 to Toledo and 10-5 to Pacific.

After falling to New Mexico and Grand Canyon on Friday, Montana opened Saturday in the best way possible, putting up four runs in the top of the first against Toledo, with Riley Peschek hitting a three-run home run, her second home run in three games.

Rylee Rehbein got the start for the Grizzlies and gave up six runs over 3 1/3 innings before being replaced.

Toledo scored one in the first, three in the second and two in the fourth to go up 6-5 after Presley Jantzi had given the Grizzlies a 5-4 lead in the top of the fourth on an RBI double.

Montana left the bases loaded in the third, fourth and fifth innings and left a season-high 11 runners on base.

Peschek, Jantzi and Madison Tarrant each had two hits.

Montana fell behind Pacific 2-0 in the top of the second before answering with a four-run bottom half of the inning.

Kynzie Mohl hit her first home run of the season to tie it at 2-2. Chloë Saxton and Jantzi later drove in runs to give Montana a 4-2 lead after two.

The Grizzlies went up 5-2 in the third on an RBI double by Hannah Jablonski.

Pacific would score the game's final eight runs off starter Grace Haegele and Emmalyn Brinka and Rehbein in relief. The Tigers tied it at 5-5 in the fifth, then scored three in the sixth, two in the seventh.

Pacific had 18 hits, the most allowed by Montana this season.

Mohl and Jablonski both had two hits.

Montana will close out play at the Purple Classic with another matchup against Pacific (5-13) at 9 a.m. on Sunday.