MISSOULA, Mont. - Seattle University softball (14-16) pushed for a late comeback with a home run from sophomore Abbie Fales, but could not elevate into the win column, falling 6-2 to the Grizzlies (8-22) in the series finale on Tuesday afternoon at Grizzly Softball Field.
Junior Avari Morris led the team with three hits in four at bats, while Fales was the lone other Redhawk with a multi-hit performance, posting two on the day along with her homer. Freshman Ava Day scored the final run of the contest.
Senior Taylor Fitch, graduate Jay Ross and freshman Audrey Borup all tallied hits in the contest, with Borup coming in as a pinch hitter in the seventh. Junior Karen Spadafora led the team with eight putouts, while Ross added an additional six. Fitch and junior Mikee Morris each accounted for an assist.
Guiding from the circle and earning the start was Avari Morris. She pitched 5.0 innings of the contest and faced 25 batters. Morris struck out seven, one shy of her season high. Junior Berkley Vance pitched the final 1.0 innings and faced six while striking out one.
Avari Morris led off the day in the top of the first with her first base hit of the contest before moving into scoring position off a ground out by Fitch. The Grizzlies kept the Redhawks contained in the first frame, forcing the final out from the outfield. Montana got two runners on before striking with the first run of the contest with no outs. With bases loaded a one out double moved the Grizzlies lead to three before Morris struck out her first batter of the day and the Redhawk infield stranded the final two runners.
Morris held Montana scoreless through the next four innings, picking up all three outs in the bottom of the second behind three strikeouts, including one looking. She struck two more out in the third after reaching base in the third behind her second hit of the day.
Fales broke through the shutout behind her homer out of center field facing two outs to pull within two runs. Morris and the defense kept the Grizzlies scoreless in the fourth. The dual threat pitcher struck out her final batter in the fifth.
Fitch and Ross each got on board in the sixth with singles before Montana disrupted the push for the tie. Montana came back with a three run home run in the bottom of the sixth after Vance collected her strikeout to lead 6-1 entering the seventh.
Jones and Borup reached base with a walk and single respectively to get two runners on with no outs. Day pinch ran for Jones while Kissling re-entered to run for Borup. Avari Morris tallied her final hit of the day, while a fielding error allowed Day to score from second. Fitch advanced Kissling to third but the Redhawk rally was cut short in the seventh as Montana secured the win over SU 6-2.
Seattle U returns to action on Thursday, traveling to Creighton for a three game series in Omaha.
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