Griz pick up first Big Sky win, split doubleheader

Saturday, April 12

Hillsboro, Ore.

2 PM (MT)

Montana

8-31, 1-6

Portland State (DH)

9-33, 2-5

Montana

Portland State

Photos: Scott Larson, PSU Athletics

4/12/2025 8:27:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

By: Montana Sports Information

The Montana softball team collected its first Big Sky Conference win of the season on Saturday, shutting out Portland State 7-0 at Hillsboro Stadium in the opening game of the teams' three-game series.

The Vikings took the second game 4-1.

Montana controlled the opener, scoring twice in the top of the first, then going up 4-0 in the second on a two-run home run by Presley Jantzi. The Grizzlies added three more runs in the fifth on three hits.

Grace Haegele, Grace Hardy and Cameryn Ortega combined for a four-hitter as Montana collected its second shutout of the season.

The Grizzlies' seven runs were their most against a Division I opponent since Feb. 14.

"Loved the first game," said coach Stef Ewing. "I knew it was coming for us to be able to break out and have some timely hits and put up a crooked number.

"Our pitchers did their job and we played good defense. That's what it takes to get a W."

Montana (8-32, 1-7 BSC) loaded the bases with one out in the top of the first and grabbed the early lead on an RBI single by Chloe Saxton and a wild pitch.

After Anna Cockhill reached base in the top of the second on a two-out error, Jantzi made it 4-0 with her third home run of the season, the seventh of her career.

The Grizzlies pulled away in the top of the fifth, scoring three runs with two outs. Jocelyn Eisen and Cockhill both had RBI singles and Montana scored another run on a wild pitch.

Haegele allowed one hit over three innings, Hardy gave up two hits over 2 1/3 innings, with Ortega pitching the final 1 2/3 innings, allowing one hit. They combined to strike out four and walk just one.

Hardy collected the win, the first of her collegiate career.

Madison Tarrant and Chloe Saxton both had two-hit games, the first multi-hit game of Saxton's career, and Cockhill stole a pair of bases to up her team-leading total to 23 in 26 attempts.

The Grizzlies struck first in Game 2, turning a hit batter, a sacrifice bunt, a wild pitch and a sacrifice fly to center by Makena Strong into a 1-0 lead in the top of the second.

Montana had just one more base-runner the rest of the game, Kynzie Mohl's lead-off walk to open the top of the fifth.

Portland State's Gracie Walters went the distance, no-hitting Montana on 88 pitches, the ninth time the Grizzlies have been no-hit in their history.

"We got no-hit but I'm not sitting here shaking my head. We hit a lot of balls hard that they made some good plays on," said Ewing. "She just did a good job of finding a way to get us out."

Portland State scored twice in the bottom of the second on two hits and three Montana errors. The Vikings went up 4-1 in the fifth on a home run following the Grizzlies' fourth error of the game.

It was the most errors for Montana since Feb. 16.

"The big story about Game 2 is we have to play clean defense," said Ewing. "We made too many mistakes and they capitalized on those mistakes.

"We made one mistake, then we'd make a second one, which allowed the secondary runner to advance."

Brianna Lachermeier got the start and took the loss. Ortega and Haegele pitched in relief. Two of Portland State's four runs were unearned, giving Montana's staff a two-game ERA of 1.08.

The teams will play Game 3 at 2 p.m. (MT) on Sunday as Montana tries to win its first Big Sky series since 2022.

"The key is to continue to swing the bats, then we have to play good defense. We have to clean it up," said Ewing. "And then we have to continue pitching the way we're pitching."