Griz fall to Cornhuskers

Sunday, February 16

Las Cruces, N.M.

9 AM

Montana

2-8

Nebraska

8-2

Montana

Nebraska

Photo by: Ella Palulis/University of Montana

2/16/2025 12:45:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

By: Montana Sports Information

The Montana softball team dropped a 16-3 decision to No. 18 Nebraska on Sunday morning as the Troy Cox Classic continued in Las Cruces, N.M.

The Grizzlies loaded the bases in the top of the first, scored three times in the second and had two on with two outs in the third and were in a 4-3 game going into the bottom of the third.

In that half-inning, the Cornhuskers scored nine runs on six hits and four walks to take control. Nebraska added three more in the bottom of the fourth and finished with 14 hits.

"We know we can swing it. Now this team needs to learn how to bend and not break," said coach Stef Ewing. "When we're making one mistake, it's turning into two.

"When we walk four batters in one inning and make some errors, you're going to have a huge crooked number. We have to be able to control those moments better and stop the bleeding."

Montana jumped on Nebraska early in Saturday's match-up between the teams, scoring four runs in the top of the first, and had the chance to do something similar on Sunday.

Nebraska starter Caitlin Olensky hit three batters in the top of the first to load the bases, but the Grizzlies were unable to take advantage.

Montana tagged Olensky for three runs in the top of the second. After Jocelyn Eisen drew a one-out walk, freshman Anna Cockhill hit her first collegiate home run to center to even the score at 2-2.

One pitch later, Presley Jantzi gave Montana a 3-2 lead when she also homered to center, the fifth of her career.

"It was great to see Anna get her first college home run and great to see Presley have a huge swing," said Ewing, who bats Cockhill and Jantzi in the top two spots in the batting order.

"Those two are going to be huge producers for us. They are constantly having quality at-bats and make the top of our order lethal."

With Montana down 4-3 in the top of the third, Hannah Jablonski had a one-out single, freshman Mackenzie Bekofsky a two-out single, but the Grizzlies were unable to turn those chances into runs.

Jablonski went 2 for 2 on Sunday, making her 8 for 12 on the road trip and 10 for 26 (.385) on the season.

"It looks like a beach ball to her right now," said Ewing. "She is having great swings and has had a ton of quality at-bats. She is swinging it well and has been a huge RBI producer for us this weekend."

Ava Kuszak, Nebraska's first-year transfer from Wisconsin, hit three home runs and finished the game 4 for 4 with six RBIs and four runs scored.

Jordyn Bahl, batting behind Kuszak in the No. 2 spot, also went 4 for 4. She had two doubles, a triple and scored three times.

Montana will conclude its seven-game road trip with a doubleheader against New Mexico State on Monday afternoon.

The Aggies, who host Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Sunday afternoon, are 6-4. They are batting .369 and averaging more than seven runs per game.

"We know New Mexico State is going to swing it and we have to swing it with them. It's a good match-up for us," said Ewing.