Hornets shut out Grizzlies, win finale

Saturday, April 27

Sacramento, Calif.

1 PM (MT)

Montana

17-31, 1-14

Sacramento State

26-18, 7-4

Montana

Sacramento State

Photo by: Tommy Martino/University of Montana

4/27/2024 3:55:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

By: Montana Sports Information

Two Sacramento State pitchers held Montana to one hit as the Hornets took the finale of the teams' three-game series at Shea Stadium in Sacramento on Saturday afternoon, winning 3-0.

Marissa Bertuccio started and threw six hitless innings, allowing only two baserunners, both reaching on infield errors.

Savannah Wahl, in relief, gave up a one-out single to left to Hannah Jablonski in the top of the seventh for the Grizzlies' only hit.

Bertuccio (13-7) picked up the win, her second of the series. Wahl, who got the win in Game 2, earned her second save of the season.

The Hornets ran their winning streak over the Grizzlies to 10 games with the series sweep and improved to 28-6 all-time against Montana, which had just 10 hits in the series, batting .152.

Sacramento State (26-18, 7-4 BSC) scored multiple runs in the bottom of the first in all three games and trailed in the series for only two innings late in Game 2.

The Hornets went up 2-0 in the bottom of the first on Saturday on an RBI single and sacrifice fly, and took a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the second on an RBI single.

Sacramento State left five runners stranded through the first two innings against Montana starter Emmalyn Brinka, who settled in after that and held the Hornets in check the rest of the way.

After giving up five hits in the first two innings, Brinka (4-16) did not allow a hit over her final four innings of work, allowing only two more baserunners on a pair of walks.

Riley Peschek reached base in the top of the first on an infield error, Jablonski reached an error in the top of the fourth.

Those were the only baserunners allowed by Bertuccio, who struck out five while facing 20 batters in six innings.

Wahl opened the top of the seventh by getting a fly out to center. Jablonski followed with a well-hit single to left to break up Sacramento State's no-hit bid. Wahl got the final two outs by strikeout.

Montana (17-31, 1-14 BSC) will be the No. 6 seed when the six-team, double-elimination Big Sky Conference Championship opens in Pocatello, Idaho, on Wednesday, May 8.