Griz drop series finale

Saturday, April 13

Missoula, Mont.

1 PM

Montana

14-26, 0-9

Idaho State

21-20, 3-3

Idaho State

Montana

Photo by: Ryan Brennecke/ University of Mo

4/13/2024 4:27:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

By: Montana Sports Information

The Montana softball team lost 9-0 to Idaho State in five innings on Saturday afternoon at Grizzly Softball Field in Missoula as the teams wrapped up their three-game Big Sky Conference series.

The Bengals, the Big Sky preseason favorites, outscored the Grizzlies 23-1 in the series and limited Montana to eight hits over 18 innings.

Idaho State swept Friday's doubleheader by scores of 5-0 and 9-1.

Emmalyn Brinka threw a complete game in Friday's opener and got the start in Game 3 but lasted just 1 2/3 innings as the Bengals got to her for one run in the first and five more in the second.

Nyeala Herndon, Grace Haegele and Rylee Rehbein all pitched in relief.

Idaho State put the run rule into effect in the top of the fourth, scoring three runs without a base hit as Griz pitchers walked six in the inning.

Montana allowed 27 hits in the series and walked 17 batters.

Riley Stockton doubled to lead off the bottom of the second and Kelly Sweyer had a pinch-hit leadoff single in the fifth for Montana's only two hits in the game.

Idaho State got all it needed in the series from pitchers Marley Goluskin and Taylor Fitzgerald. They held the Grizzlies to eight hits in 63 at-bats (.127), walking only two.

Galuskin, a freshman, went the distance in Games 1 and 3, Fitzgerald pitched Game 2.

Montana (14-26, 0-9 BSC) will host Carroll on Tuesday in a doubleheader starting at 2:30 p.m., then face Portland State in a three-game series at Grizzly Softball Field next weekend.

The games against the Vikings will be the final home games of the season for Montana, which closes out its regular-season schedule with a series at Sacramento State on April 26-27.