Griz handle Vikings, advance to Wednesday

Tuesday, May 5

Pocatello, Idaho

11 AM

Montana

21-31

(6) Portland State

14-32

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

5/5/2026 4:44:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

By: Montana Sports Information

The Montana softball team survived its first elimination game and advanced to play again on Wednesday, ending Portland State's season with a 9-3 victory over the Vikings on Tuesday at the Big Sky Conference Championship in Pocatello, Idaho.

The Grizzlies got a complete game from Carah Sweet and home runs from Grace Lopez and JoJo Christiaens to make it multiple postseason wins for Montana for the first time since 2021.

Montana opened the tournament on Monday with an 8-3 victory over Weber State before falling 10-1 in six innings to top-seeded Idaho State.

Tuesday's win was Montana's 21st of the season, the most for the Grizzlies since 2019.

Montana will face No. 2 seed Northern Colorado at noon on Wednesday. The Bears advanced with a 12-3, five-inning victory over Weber State on Tuesday afternoon.

In Monday's tournament-opening win over Weber State, it was a first-inning home run from Anna Cockhill that juiced the Grizzlies to what would be a program- and Championship-record six home runs.

On Tuesday, it was Grace Lopez who got Montana rolling with a lead-off home run in the bottom of the first.

But after the Vikings tied it in the top of the second with a solo home run of their own, it was a ground ball in the bottom half of the inning that put Montana ahead to stay.

Mackenzie Bekofsky drew a walk, Jessica Cherms singled and Lopez also walked to load the bases for Chloe Saxton with two outs. Saxton took a down-and-away pitch and poked it through the right side of the infield to drive in two and make it 3-1.

"G-Lo's home run to lead off the game was the spark we needed, but Chloe coming through with two outs and the bases loaded was a huge moment," said coach Stef Ewing.

"We responded to them tying the game, then kept going and had production up and down the lineup."

Montana added a third run in the second on a wild pitch, scored two unearned runs in the fourth on two Portland State errors to go up 6-2 before JoJo Christiaens drove in the Grizzlies' final three runs of the game.

She led off the fifth with a solo home run, her seventh of the season, then added a two-run single in the sixth. "JoJo was fantastic in the adjustments she made from her earlier at-bats," said Ewing.

Montana had 10 hits in the game, the most for the Grizzlies since their series at Weber State in mid-April. Christiaens, Cherms and Kailee Mejia all had two-hit games.

"A lot of people are seeing the ball really well and keeping it simple. We always say two things matter. Are we on time and did we swing at a good pitch?" said Ewing.

"We've had different kids come through and know there are no easy outs in our lineup. That's what we've got to do. We've got to hit. We have people making really good swings and passing the bat."

Sweet went the distance on 100 pitches, her third complete game of the season. She scattered seven hits and gave up three solo home runs.

"With the way the wind blows here, you can't get bothered if you give up a home run because they are going to happen," said Ewing, whose team has eight home runs through three games, three off the Championship record.

"If someone puts the ball up in the air, a routine fly ball flies out here, so you can't get shook when they go over. That's part of playing in Pocatello. You deal with it and know you can do the same thing."

Sweet won for the ninth time since March 23, giving her nine wins in her last 11 decisions. Her nine wins are the most for a Montana pitcher since Allie Brock and Dana Butterfield both won 10 games in 2022.

"I can't say enough about Carah. She's been unreal for us," said Ewing. "We'll continue to give her the ball.

"She continues to fool batters. She really depends on her feel and being able to spin the ball. It's uncomfortable and we love it."

Lopez drew two walks and scored three runs, Mejia had a hit for the 15th time in 17 games, and Cockhill stole second in the first inning after drawing a walk, the 38th stolen base of her career to bring her within one of Gabby Martinez's program record.

Sweet shut out Northern Colorado in Game 1 when the teams played a series in Missoula last month, but the Bears answered with 24 runs over Games 2 and 3 to win the series.

The winner of the game will move on to face either Idaho State or Sacramento State at 2:30 p.m. on Wednesday, not that any team in the elimination bracket can afford to look beyond the game directly in front of it.

"Life in the losers' bracket is you play one game at a time and worry about the next game when you get to it," said Ewing.

"We'll have everybody ready to go. If we have to pitch by committee tomorrow, we'll pitch by committee. We're going to empty the tank and do whatever it takes to survive."