MISSOULA, Mont. – Seattle University softball swept a doubleheader at Montana on Thursday afternoon, beating the Grizzlies by scores of 3-2 and 5-2. Stefanie Madrigal and Carley Nance both pitched stellar complete games to lead the Redhawks to the road sweep.
In the opener, both teams got action going with runners on board for much of the game, but the pitchers wriggled mostly out of trouble. The hosts scored first, but Stefanie Madrigal pitched well to keep the Grizzlies off the board in the middle portion of the contest. In the top of the fifth, Brooke Milder reached on an error and advanced to second base. Alyson Matriotti followed with a bunt single to put Redhawks at the corners. Matriotti then stole second and a Montana error resulted in Milder scoring to tie the game at 1. With one out, Ally Choate drew a walk. Bailey Thompson came through with a double to the gap in left centerfield, driving in two runs to make it 3-1.
The Grizzlies looked for a rally in the seventh and their leadoff batter reached via error. Madrigal followed with a groundout and a lineout to get SU within an out of a win. Montana walked and singled to plate a run, but Madrigal induced a groundball to third, where Matriotti tagged the base to end the contest.
Madrigal threw seven innings and gave up no earned runs. She struck out three and stranded nine Grizzles. Six different Redhawks claimed a hit, while Madison Cathcart walked twice, tying the all-time WAC record in the process.
Olivia Viggiano led off the second game with a base hit. Choate followed with a bunt hit. An error on a Cathcart groundball ended up with an SU run to take an early lead.
Carley Nance got the start in the circle and retired the seven batters she faced, with five strikeouts in the mix. The hosts tied the game in the bottom of the third.
The Redhawks took control in the fourth, as Thompson singled up the middle to start the action. Stephanie Merwin hit a one-out double to put runners at second and third for Cherise Silvan. The senior hammered a three-run homer over the fence in right center for a 4-1 advantage. Nance worked around two hits in the fourth and then pitched 1-2-3 frames in the fifth and sixth.
A Thompson sacrifice fly brought in an insurance run in the top of the seventh. Montana got a run back in the its last at-bat, but Nance earned three groundouts to end the contest.
Nance threw a complete game, striking out seven with no walks. She allowed just four hits in the game. Silvan went 3-3 with the home run, while Viggiano and Choate both tallied a pair of hits at the top of the order.
The Redhawks (13-13) will face the Grizzlies once more tomorrow. First pitch is slated for 12 p.m. Pacific (1 p.m. Mountain) at Montana.
In the opener, both teams got action going with runners on board for much of the game, but the pitchers wriggled mostly out of trouble. The hosts scored first, but Stefanie Madrigal pitched well to keep the Grizzlies off the board in the middle portion of the contest. In the top of the fifth, Brooke Milder reached on an error and advanced to second base. Alyson Matriotti followed with a bunt single to put Redhawks at the corners. Matriotti then stole second and a Montana error resulted in Milder scoring to tie the game at 1. With one out, Ally Choate drew a walk. Bailey Thompson came through with a double to the gap in left centerfield, driving in two runs to make it 3-1.
The Grizzlies looked for a rally in the seventh and their leadoff batter reached via error. Madrigal followed with a groundout and a lineout to get SU within an out of a win. Montana walked and singled to plate a run, but Madrigal induced a groundball to third, where Matriotti tagged the base to end the contest.
Madrigal threw seven innings and gave up no earned runs. She struck out three and stranded nine Grizzles. Six different Redhawks claimed a hit, while Madison Cathcart walked twice, tying the all-time WAC record in the process.
Olivia Viggiano led off the second game with a base hit. Choate followed with a bunt hit. An error on a Cathcart groundball ended up with an SU run to take an early lead.
Carley Nance got the start in the circle and retired the seven batters she faced, with five strikeouts in the mix. The hosts tied the game in the bottom of the third.
The Redhawks took control in the fourth, as Thompson singled up the middle to start the action. Stephanie Merwin hit a one-out double to put runners at second and third for Cherise Silvan. The senior hammered a three-run homer over the fence in right center for a 4-1 advantage. Nance worked around two hits in the fourth and then pitched 1-2-3 frames in the fifth and sixth.
A Thompson sacrifice fly brought in an insurance run in the top of the seventh. Montana got a run back in the its last at-bat, but Nance earned three groundouts to end the contest.
Nance threw a complete game, striking out seven with no walks. She allowed just four hits in the game. Silvan went 3-3 with the home run, while Viggiano and Choate both tallied a pair of hits at the top of the order.
The Redhawks (13-13) will face the Grizzlies once more tomorrow. First pitch is slated for 12 p.m. Pacific (1 p.m. Mountain) at Montana.