Montana falls in series finale

Saturday, April 11

Sacramento, Calif.

11:30 AM (MT)

Montana

15-26, 5-4

Sacramento State

26-15, 5-4

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Montana	0	0	0	1	3	2	0	6	10	0
Sacramento State	0	1	1	5	0	2	X	9	11	1

The University of Montana Grizzly softball team faces University of Northern Colorado at a home game on April 4, 2026 in Missoula, MT.

Photo by: Coral Scoles-Coburn/University of Montana

4/11/2026 2:53:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

By: Montana Sports Information

Sacramento State hit three home runs and never trailed in a 9-6 victory over the Montana softball team on Saturday at Shea Stadium in Sacramento as the teams wrapped up their three-game series.

The Grizzlies (15-26, 5-4 BSC) won Game 1 on Friday, the Hornets (26-15, 5-4 BSC) took Game 2, the series leaving the teams tied for second in the Big Sky Conference standings, a game behind Idaho State.

Sacramento State scored the game's first run on a solo home run in the bottom of the second and would go up 7-1 with a five-run bottom of the fourth.

Montana scored the game's next five runs and had the tying run on third base with one out in the top of the sixth but that would be as close as the Grizzlies would come to pulling even.

The Hornets hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the sixth for a 9-6 lead and some breathing room.

Trailing 2-0, Montana got on the scoreboard in the top of the fourth when Madison Tarrant singled to center to drive in JoJo Christiaens, who led off the inning with a walk.

A big bottom of the fourth put Sacramento State comfortably in front by six runs, 7-1, but Montana was not done making the home team uncomfortable.

The Grizzlies answered with a three-run top of the fifth, getting a sacrifice fly from Christiaens and a two-run home run by Jessica Cherms, her second of the season.

It was Montana's 33rd home run of the season, fourth-most in program history and just 10 off the record of 43 hit by the 2022 team.

Carah Sweet relieved starter Kaiana Kong in the bottom of the fourth and gave her team a chance to continue its rally with a steely effort in the bottom of the fifth.

After the Hornets loaded the bases with one out, Sweet got a critical swinging strikeout, then an infield pop-up on the next pitch to keep it a 7-4 game.

Montana nearly took full advantage in the top of the sixth.

Tarrant drew a lead-off hit-by-pitch and Grace Lopez singled to right with one out. Chloe Saxton followed with a triple down the right-field line that made its way to the fence and scored two.

But the tying run would be stranded at third as the Hornets got a pair of groundouts to the right side of the infield to hold their lead.

Sacramento State, which batted .391 for the three games, hit its sixth home run of the series in the bottom of the sixth to pull away for good.

Christiaens drew a lead-off walk in the top of the seventh but the Hornets set the next three Grizzlies down in order to get their 26th win of the season.

Kong took the loss to drop to 3-7.

Saxton went 3 for 4 on Saturday to wrap up a big series at the plate. She finished 7 for 13 (.538) with two doubles, a triple and a home run. Lopez and Cherms had two-hit games in the finale.

Montana hit .333 in the series and hit four home runs off a staff that had given up only 11 through the season's first 38 games.

Montana will play a doubleheader at Utah on Wednesday before playing a league series at Weber State on Friday and Saturday.