Griz lose to Wildcats, drop to elimination bracket

Wednesday, May 7

Greeley, Colo.

12:30 PM

Montana

8-41

(3) Weber State

25-29

Montana

Weber State

Photos: UNC Athletics

5/7/2025 8:29:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

By: Montana Sports Information

The Montana softball team, the No. 6 seed, lost 9-1 in five innings to No. 3 Weber State on Wednesday on the second day of the Big Sky Conference Championship in Greeley, Colo.

The game started at 12:30 p.m. and ended close to 7, with a lengthy lightning and rain delay arriving in the second inning.

The Grizzlies pulled within two runs, 3-1, in the top of the fifth before the Wildcats scored six runs in the bottom half of the inning to win it.

"It was a long delay but our group never lost focus or energy," said coach Stef Ewing. "This team all year has shown up every game and believed we can go out and do what we need to do."

Montana stayed in the game in the early innings with some clutch pitching from freshman Cameryn Ortega, who relieved starter Grace Haegele with one out in the bottom of the first.

After Haegele issued a bases-loaded walk to spot Weber State a 1-0 lead, Ortega entered and got a swinging strikeout and fly out to center with the bases loaded to end the threat.

With the bases loaded in the bottom of the second and two outs, Ortega got All-Big Sky Conference first-teamer Abby Grundy to fly out to right field to keep it a 1-0 game.

After Montana went down in order in the first and second innings, Kynzie Mohl gave the Grizzlies their first hit of the tournament when she had a lead-off single to right in the top of the third.

After Mohl was sacrificed to second, Makena Strong lined out to short. After Anna Cockhill walked to put two on with two outs, Presley Jantzi lined out to left.

Weber State hit a pair of home runs in the bottom of the third to build a 3-1 lead, an advantage the Wildcats took to the fifth.

In the top of the fifth, Mohl again led off with a single to center. With two outs, Presley Jantzi singled to left-center, scoring Mohl and getting Montana on the scoreboard.

Trailing 3-1, the Grizzlies loaded the bases before a fly out to left ended the potential rally.

"We were really starting to get some quality at-bats," said Ewing. "We put one across and had an opportunity to get some more and left some people on base.

"We never got a shot to come back up to bat again."

Weber State would end it by scoring six runs on five hits in the bottom of the fifth, with a home run, two triples and a walk-off single.

"We have to find a way to limit the damage when we're out on defense because we were right there," said Ewing. "We have to limit that to a small number, something that can keep us in the game."

Mohl went 2 for 2, her sixth career multi-hit game. Montana will play an elimination game on Thursday.

"This team has shown up all year ready to fight. That's what we're going to do tomorrow," said Ewing.