Griz drop doubleheader to Bengals

Friday, April 12

Missoula, Mont.

2:30 PM

Montana

14-24, 0-7

Idaho State

19-20, 1-3

Idaho State

Montana

Photo by: Ryan Brennecke/ University of Mo

4/12/2024 9:06:00 PM | Softball

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By: Montana Sports Information

The Montana softball team dropped both games of a doubleheader to Idaho State on Friday as the teams opened a three-game series at Grizzly Softball Field in Missoula.

The Bengals (20-20, 2-3 BSC), the Big Sky Conference preseason favorites, won 5-0 and 9-1 in six innings.

The Grizzlies (14-25, 0-8 BSC) had just six hits in the two games. Their lone run came off the bat of Presley Jantzi, who hit a solo home run with two outs in the bottom of the sixth in Game 2.

"I didn't think we made adjustments throughout the day," said coach Melanie Meuchel. "There were times we were pressing for things and our timing wasn't really there."

One of the bright spots for Montana on Friday was a complete-game effort by Emmalyn Brinka in Game 1.

Brinka (3-12) allowed a sacrifice fly in the top of the third, another in the top of the fifth and took a 2-0 deficit to the seventh before giving up three runs on a pair of doubles.

She allowed eight hits while striking out four and throwing her fourth complete game of the season.

"From pitch one, Emmalyn was competitive," said Meuchel. "She set a tone that gave us opportunities to be able to find a way to work our way into a win.

"She pounded the zone, she was confident, she threw great pitches and kept them a little bit off balance. We made plays behind her as well that allowed her to continue to pitch freely."

Idaho State freshman Marley Goluskin also went the distance to pick up her seventh win of the season. Hannah Jablonski had two of Montana's four hits.

In Game 2, ISU starter Taylor Fitzgerald allowed a single up the middle to Riley Peschek in the top of the first, then didn't allow another hit until Jantzi's solo home run in the bottom of the sixth.

Fitzgerald set down 16 consecutive batters between the two hits while picking up win No. 7 on the season on just 74 pitches.

Grace Haegele (5-8) started and took the loss for Montana. Rylee Rehbein threw 3 2/3 innings of relief, Nyeala Herndon 2/3 of an inning.

Jablonski and Peschek both went 2 for 5 on the day, Jantzi 2 for 6. The trio combined for all six of Montana's hits. The rest of the team went hitless in 28 at-bats.

The teams will wrap up the series with a game at 1 p.m. on Saturday.