Griz drop final two games in California

Saturday, February 22

Bakersfield, Calif.

10:30 AM (MT)

Montana

3-11

Pacific

5-6

Pacific

Montana

Photos: CSU Bakersfield Athletics

2/22/2025 6:41:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

By: Montana Sports Information

The Montana softball team dropped its final two games of the Kathy Welter Classic on Saturday, falling in run-rule decisions to Pacific and CSU Bakersfield at Roadrunner Softball Complex in Bakersfield, Calif.

The Grizzlies (3-12) were in a 0-0 game with the Tigers before Pacific scored two in the top of the fourth and seven in the top of the fifth to win 9-0 in five innings.

In Montana's second game, the Grizzlies were no-hitting the Roadrunners into the fourth inning, but CSUB built a 3-0 lead in the fifth, then won it in the bottom of the sixth with five runs to win 8-0.

After pounding out 13 hits in Friday's split, Montana had just one hit against Pacific, two against CSU Bakersfield.

"We didn't make any adjustments offensively. We had way too many selfish at-bats today," said first-year coach Stef Ewing.

"We deserved the results we had. We can't play softball like that. We have to be selfless. The words we talk about have to become part of our culture. They have to matter more."

Cameryn Ortega, who picked up the win on Friday against CSU Bakersfield, held Pacific scoreless through three innings on Saturday on two hits.

She gave up a pair of RBI doubles in the fourth as Pacific took a 2-0 lead and that would be enough for the Tigers.

Montana opened the game with a leadoff walk by Anna Cockhill. After she stole second, Madison Tarrant advanced her to third with a one-out single to right.

Tarrant advanced to second on a ground out, putting a pair of runners in scoring position with two outs.

The inning ended with a strikeout and the Grizzlies went down in order in the second, third, fourth and fifth innings.

"Cam did a really good job, did what she needed to do, and our offense didn't support her," said Ewing.

"We're building for conference play, but we're also throwing away right now some really good opportunities."

Grace Hardy got the start against CSU Bakersfield and helped Montana's staff get to the fourth without a hit allowed, but walks early on proved to be costly.

Montana walked two batters in the bottom of the first but escaped without a run allowed. In the bottom of the second, the Grizzlies walked four batters and hit another.

The Roadrunners went up 2-0 on two bases-loaded walks before Brianna Lachermeier came on and got a ground out to leave the bases full.

CSU Bakersfield added a run on three hits in the bottom of the fifth to go up 3-0, then walked it off in the bottom of the sixth, scoring five runs on six more hits, the game ending on a sacrifice fly.

Hannah Jablonski led off the top of the second with a single to left. She never moved off first base. Grace Lopez led off the fifth with a single to center. She never moved off first base.

"We were no-hitting them and right in the game but we were pop-up after pop-up, bad at-bat after bad at-bat," said Ewing.

"We've had some growth in our pitching staff. Cam has done a great job. Grace has done everything we've asked her to do.

"We need more people to own their moment and more people to help us lift. We have to be able to do it one through nine and one through 21."

Montana was just 3 for 36 at the plate over two games on Saturday with one walk drawn.

"We know we're capable of playing quality softball. We saw it yesterday. We saw it in innings we had today. We have to have the ability to do it consistently," said Ewing.

"This is part of becoming a team, of changing a culture. When things get hard, you have to lean in.

"I still believe this team can be the team that showed up yesterday and be it consistently, but change is hard. You have to break down those walls and have some grit and keep going after it."

Montana will play five games next weekend against CSU Northridge and Fairleigh Dickinson at the CSUN Champions Classic in Northridge.