Gaels take series finale

Friday, March 13

Moraga, Calif.

4 PM (MT)

Montana

4-17

Saint Mary's

17-10

Montana

Saint Mary's

3/13/2026 6:41:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

By: Montana Sports Information

The Montana softball team dropped the final game of its series at Saint Mary's on Friday afternoon, falling 8-0 in five innings in Moraga, Calif., as the Gaels won their 11th straight game at home.

Saint Mary's (17-10) used a three-run home run in the second and an inside-the-park home run in the third to go up 4-0.

The Gaels scored two in the fourth on three hits and walked it off with a sacrifice fly to right in the fifth.

Cameryn Ortega got the start and the loss for Montana, working three innings before being replaced by Kaiana Kong, who went the rest of the way. Kong struck out two in 1 2/3 innings.

Senior pitcher Odhi Vasquez threw a complete game for Saint Mary's in the Gaels' 10-2 six-inning win over Montana (4-17) in Thursday's opener, allowing one earned run and five hits.

She got the start and went the distance again on Friday, picking up her eighth win by allowing one hit and striking out eight.

"A lot of her stuff all season long was down. She did a better job today of elevating the ball and she started mixing in the backdoor, which was a pitch we didn't see at all yesterday," said coach Stef Ewing.

"She threw really well. There is a reason she's got a (2.49) ERA. She can throw it and we didn't make many adjustments. We know we're a better offensive team than we showed today."

Kaci Kiblen had Montana's only hit of the game, a double to the fence in left-center in the top of the third. The Grizzlies' only other baserunner was Ava Puttler, who drew a walk in the fourth.

"Our energy was pretty flat today," said Ewing. "We have to come out with big energy and like our record is 0-0 and just bring it. We need to reset tomorrow for two."

Saint Mary's was picked second in the West Coast Conference preseason poll behind Santa Clara (11-14), which Montana will play in a three-game series on Saturday and Sunday.

The teams will play a doubleheader on Saturday with first pitch at 1 p.m. (MT). The series will conclude on Sunday with a game at noon (MT).

"Every day we show up at the ballpark, the game doesn't know who's supposed to win or who's supposed to lose or what anybody's record is," said Ewing.

"We're going to try to find the good and win some innings to be able to win a ball game."