@BearsSoftball Can't Get By Montana

Friday, April 14

Missoula, MT

2:30 pm

University of Northern Colorado

16-27, 4-6

University of Montana

22-19, 7-3

Northern Colorado

Montana

4/14/2017 7:49:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

By: Thomas Hoffman, uncbears.com

GAME 1 (PDF) | GAME 2 (PDF)

Missoula, Mont – It was a cold spring day in Montana, and despite electrifying pitching from Jayme Reddacliff and some rock solid defense, Northern Colorado dropped both games to the Griz, 1-0 and 9-4.

GAME 1
Northern Colorado earned a two-out walk in the top of the first inning from the freshman, Sophia Taylor. Promptly, against a team that seemed immune to surrendering stolen bases, Taylor scampered her way to second. Second base was as far as the second baseman would travel, though, as a Jordyn Wiatrak strikeout ended the half inning.

Starting pitcher Jayme Reddacliff faced a little bit of trouble in the bottom half. A single, two-out walk and an error loaded the bases for the home team. Calmly, the senior kept the Griz in the infield, forcing a groundout to second to end the scoring opportunity for Montana.

Again in the second inning, the Grizzlies applied pressure. Four hits in the inning inevitably brought across a run for Montana before UNC has able to close out the final out.

Emily Holtz sat in the on-deck circle to start off the top of the third inning. When Holtz finally got her crack at the Griz pitcher, Holtz wasn't in a hurry to go anywhere. Fighting off 10 plus pitches, Holtz finally made her way to first, using her speed, hitting a slow roller to third base. Though Kudrna reached on a walk, the slap-hitting duo were stranded with Sophia Taylor strikint out to end the inning.

Northern Colorado's defense turned into a base runner stranding machine in the middle part of game one. By the end of the fourth inning, Reddacliff had combined for two strikeouts and with the help of her compatriots behind her, stranded seven Montana runners.
Clean fifth and sixth innings, set up for photo finish in the afternoon's first duel between the Grizzlies and the Bears.

Jordyn Wiatrak led off the final frame with a walk. As Cheyenne Talmadge came in to run for her at first, the Bears haf something cooking with nobody out. Despite earning a second base runner off a Montana error, Kelli Kleis wasn't able to bring her home, grounding to third to end the contest in the Grizzlies' favor, 1-0.

GAME 2
After going hitless in the first game on Friday, Erica Dick was eager to get off to a better start in the second. The senior kicked off the opening inning with a single, and moved over to second off a sacrifice from Emily Holtz. Much like the first game, however, UNC could not get to third base as Wiatrak struck out to end the inning.

In the bottom half of the frame, Montana also got off to hot start with a lead-off single. Three batters later, and with two runners on, Vidal gave up a home run to give the Griz the early 3-0 lead.

A strikeout and a pop out started the second inning for the Bears. Kaley Garcia wasn't about to let UNC go down that quickly, though. Garcia singled through the left side and was immediately followed by a walk for Kenzie Kudrna. Suddenly, Northern Colorado had two runners on with Adeline Coldiron at the dish. Coldiron couldn't quite sqeeze it passed second base though, grounding out to end the inning.

Back-to-back singles spelled trouble for the Blue and Gold again in the bottom of the second. Two on with one out, Valerie Vidal manage to force two straight fly outs to Kenzie Kudrna in center, keeping the deficit at three.

Erica Dick mirrored her first inning at-bat to lead-off the third with a single. Emily Holtz followed suit reaching safely as well. Though Sophia Taylor grounded into a fielder's choice, once she climbed aboard, Taylor promptly stole second, just her second stolen base of the season. That bought up Jordyn Wiatrak. The hero from a week ago wasted no time launching a home run to deep center to tie the game at three.

Lauren Paige came in to pitch in the fourth inning. Montana adjusted quickly tallying two straight singles to start the half inning. Paige eventually found her groove, forcing a pop out and two ground outs to keep the game tied at three.

A pair of singles and a walk loaded the bases for the Grizzlies in the bottom of the fourth inning. After earning tough 1-2 groundout for the first out of the inning, Montana launched a bases clearing double to take the lead. Two batters later, the second double of the inning made it 7-3.

Lead-off hitters continued to be the demise of Northern Colorado in the fifth inning. A duo of hits, combined with a sacrifice fly gave Montana their eighth run, stretching the lead, 8-3.

On the first pitch she saw, Rachel Johnson absolutely hammered a ball over the left field fence that still might be hovering in the stratosphere. Johnson's solo shot was the only scoring UNC could must in the inning, however. After six full, the Bears' deficit stood at four.

Kelli Kleis, the third UNC pitcher of the contest and fourth of the day, almost got out of the sixth inning unscathed. A lead-off double had the Griz in scoring position early, but it wasn't until a single with two outs that drove in Montanan's ninth run.

Trailing, 9-4, Northern Colorado got a one-out hit from Sophia Taylor, but the freshman provided the only hit for the Bears in the final inning. When all the dust settled, UNC fell in their second straight game to Montana.

KEY STAT
Strikeouts – UNC struck out 18 times, compared to just three times from Montana.

MOST VALUABLE BEAR
Jordyn Wiatrak – Wiatrak launched a tying three-run home run in the third inning of the second game. The third baseman also record one putout and seven assists with no errors.

IN THEIR WORDS
Shana Easley, Head Coach
"In game one, Montana's pitcher did a nice job keeping our hitters off balance, moving the ball around the zone. Jayme threw a good game and gave us the chance to win."

"In game two, we had better at-bats and some big hits from Jojo (Wiatrak) and Rachel (Johnson), but unfortunately, it wasn't enough to make up for the runs we gave up earlier in the game."

NOTABLES

Sophia Taylor stole two bases Friday, the first two of her UNC career.
Northern Colorado was able to strand 17 Montana base runners, compared to just 12 they left on base.
Kenzie Kudrna led the Bears with two walks during the contests.
UNC did not give up a stolen base on Friday.

UP NEXT
Northern Colorado and Montana close out their seriestomorrow in Missoula at 1PM. The Bears will return home next week to Gloria Rodriguez Field to face Colorado State on Tuesday and begin a Big Sky series against North Dakota on Friday.