Griz split a wild doubleheader

Thursday, March 7

Missoula, Mont.

Noon

Montana

6-15

Holy Cross

3-6

Holy Cross

Montana

Photo by: Tommy Martino/University of Montana

3/7/2024 8:04:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 Photo Gallery Photo Gallery 2

By: Montana Sports Information

The Griz softball team played a pair of extra-inning games on Thursday as the four-day Montana Softball Classic got under way at Grizzly Softball Field in Missoula.

Montana (7-15) lost 6-5 to Holy Cross in eight innings in the teams' first game of a doubleheader, then rallied for an 8-7 win in Game 2, scoring twice in the bottom of the seventh before winning it with a run the eighth.

"Never a dull moment," said coach Melanie Meuchel, after watching her team play two games that had 26 runs, 45 hits and 38 runners left on base between the two teams. Across the day's 16 innings, only three of them passed without one of the teams scoring a run.

Montana matched a season high with 12 hits in Game 2 while scoring a season-high eight runs. "I thought we attacked the ball offensively. We're putting runners on," Meuchel said.

Both teams left plenty of runners on base in Game 1, with Holy Cross stranding 12, including seven through the first three innings, Montana 11.

Montana scored in the bottom of the first on Kelly Sweyer's first career triple, fell behind 4-1 in the top of the third, then rallied to tie it at 4-4 with three runs in the fourth.

Elise Ontiveros and Chloë Saxton both had RBI triples in the inning, Presley Jantzi an RBI single.

After both teams scored in the sixth, the game went to the eighth tied at 5-5, with a runner placed on second to speed up the final decision on a day with limited daylight.

The Crusaders (3-7) sacrificed their runner to third in the top of the eighth, then scored her on an RBI single to take a 6-5 lead. Montana advanced its runner to third but a ground out to third and a swinging strikeout ended the game.

Riley Peschek had three hits, Ontiveros two. Rylee Rehbein got the start for Montana and gave up five runs over 5 1/3 innings, though only two were earned as the Grizzlies committed three infield errors.

Emmalyn Brinka (1-8) took the loss in relief, allowing only the unearned run in the top of the eighth.

Montana wasted no time attacking Holy Cross starter Megan Youchick in Game 2, scoring three runs on three hits in the bottom of the first, with Peschek hitting a two-run triple.

"One thing we ask is to come out and attack early," said Meuchel. "I thought we attacked early and attacked late in Game 2 to be able to finish it off. That's been a lot of our talk, finishing opportunities that we're given."

The Grizzlies built a 4-1 lead in the bottom of the third, a 5-3 lead in the bottom of the fourth before the Crusaders flexed their offensive muscles.

Holy Cross scored twice in the top of the fourth, twice in the top of the fifth and twice in the top of the sixth to go up 7-5.

Montana missed out on a golden opportunity in the bottom of the sixth, going without a run after putting runners on second and third with one out.

The Grizzlies made up for it in the bottom of the seven. Peschek led off with a double to left-center, her sixth hit of the day, and Hannah Jablonski followed with a double down the left-field line to put two runners in scoring position with nobody out.

Jocelyn Eisen ripped a double to the fence in left to tie it at 7-7 and send the teams to extra innings for the second straight game.

"We rose to the occasion," said Meuchel. "It's a position we've been in a lot of times. It's finding ways to step up in those opportunities."

Holy Cross once again sacrificed the potential go-ahead run to third in the top of the eighth, but this time Grace Haegele (3-4), who threw the final 3 2/3 innings to get the win, kept the runner at third with a swinging strikeout and a ground out to short.

"Keeping them off the scoreboard was huge for us, to be able to respond to that situation," said Meuchel.

In the bottom of the eighth, Saxton sacrificed the runner to third and Presley Jantzi hit a one-out sacrifice fly to left to plate the winning run.

"We found a way to get it done as a full unit," said Meuchel. "It's nice to be home. I think we'll settle a little bit more, settle into what we do well."

Peschek had three more hits – she upped her season batting average from .259 to .317 by going 6 for 9 in Thursday's doubleheader – Eisen had two hits and drove in three.

The Montana Softball Classic will continue with three more games on Friday. Holy Cross and Northern Illinois will play at 10 a.m., Montana and Northern Illinois at 12:30 p.m., Montana and Holy Cross at 3 p.m.