Gaels take two as series opens in Moraga

Thursday, March 12

Moraga, Calif.

2 PM (MT)

Montana

4-15

Saint Mary's

15-10

Montana

Saint Mary's

Photos: Saint Mary's Athletics

3/12/2026 9:15:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

By: Montana Sports Information

Saint Mary's opened its three-game series against the Montana softball team with a doubleheader sweep on Thursday, keeping the Gaels undefeated this season at Cottrell Field in Moraga, Calif.

Saint Mary's (16-10) took the opener 10-2 in six innings.

The Grizzlies (4-16) built a 6-0 lead in Game 2, with Anna Cockhill hitting her fourth home run of the season, but the Gaels answered with three runs in the fourth, five in the sixth to rally for an 8-6 victory.

"We can't get a lead like that, then say, okay, we're going to do this," said coach Stef Ewing. "We have to continue to apply pressure. They did a better job putting pressure on us late in the game than we did.

"It's our biggest thing right now, being able to stay under control and be who we are no matter what the inning is. We're certainly capable of it."

Odhi Vasquez went the distance in Game 1, allowing two runs and five hits over six innings.

Mackenzie Bekofsky had an RBI double in the third, Madison Tarrant had an RBI single in the fifth for Montana's only runs.

The Gaels scored in all six innings, going up 3-0 in the bottom of the first and leading the rest of the way against Griz pitchers Carah Sweet, Kaiana Kong and Brooklynn Braun.

Montana got to Saint Mary's starter Madeli Haun for three runs in the top of the first in Game 2. Grace Lopez made it 2-0 with an RBI double to left, Tarrant had an RBI single to right-center.

Cockhill hit a no-doubter to left in the top of the fourth to put Montana up 6-0.

Starter Cameryn Ortega was excellent, allowing only two hits over the first three innings but she started the game with only half a tank of fuel to go on after a recent illness.

She was relieved with two outs in the bottom of the fourth by Audri Elias, who got the final out to keep it a 6-3 game.

"Cam was amazing considering she was coming off really bad food poisoning," said Ewing. "She was throwing awesome. She just ran out of gas.

"Normally when someone is mowing people down like that, you don't even think about making a change if they give up a couple hits, but she was torched."

After pounding out seven hits through the first four innings, Montana had just two singles over the final three innings.

"Innings one through five, I loved who we were," said Ewing. "Then you look up and see the scenario.

"We had a few opportunities where we just needed to make the play. You can see we get sped up in that moment."

Saint Mary's would score five runs on five hits in the bottom of the sixth to take an 8-6 lead, but Montana had a chance to get out of the inning with no runs allowed.

After the Gaels had back-to-back singles to start the inning, Elias, who pitched a one-hit fifth, got a ground out to second for the first out.

Saint Mary's opted to follow with a safety squeeze, with Elias fielding the bunt and getting the out at first. When she made the play, the runner from third broke for home.

JoJo Christiaens' throw home beat the runner for what would have been the third out, with Montana still leading 6-3, but the ball was dropped in haste to make the tag.

Saint Mary's pounced on the second chance and added a single and a pair of doubles off Elias and Braun.

Cockhill led off the seventh with a walk. The game ended with Bekofsky hitting a fly out to the warning track in left.

"We have to learn that every out is precious and we have to play the way we do in the first inning the way we do in the sixth and seventh innings," said Ewing.

"We have to be able to stay consistent. We've got to be in those moments and love those moments."

Cockhill had two hits, as did Ava Puttler, who had her first collegiate hit in the fourth, then added another in the sixth.

"We have people doing things, we just have to continue doing it for all seven innings. We're not asking these kids to do anything they are not capable of," said Ewing.

The teams will play the series finale on Friday at 4 p.m. (MT).