• Hi Guest, want to participate in the discussions, keep track of read/unread posts and more? Create your free account and increase the benefits of your eGriz.com experience today!

Two giant steps for Montana SB

grizzlyjournal

Well-known member
Montana Griz SB took TWO giant steps toward post-season play with a double-header sweep of Northern Colorado. The teams will play a third -- and very important -- game Saturday at noon. It was cold... shoulda dressed for a football game... but Montana heated up the action on the field.

Coach Melanie Meuchel continues to make minor tweaks in her lineup, and most of them clicked today:
• Sr. hurler Maddy Stensby started the second game and dazzled with a complete game effort. She's been the first reliever over much of the spring.
Brooklyn Weisgram -- who had not started through most conf. play -- started both games today and made a flashy catch in left field... hit well also.
Jr. Morgan Johnson has appeared to claim the dp spot, and what punch that has added. Johnson's two-run homer in the bottom of the 6th of the first game was big time.

But it was sophomore 1b Cami Sellers who was probably the star again (though Stensby's pitching was huge). Sellers ripped a laser to center in the bottom of the 7th of game one for Montana's 6-4 walkoff win. Then, she turned TWO flashy double plays (the 2nd unassisted... and in the top of the 7th) in the second game. Cami has my vote for Big Sky All-Conference First Team honors (which can be supported statistically). She's been the catalyst for Montana this year.

Montana can take the THIRD step to qualify for post-season play with a win Saturday. Only Weber State has clinched a playoff berth, but things should start shaking down Saturday. I'm not certain about this, but think a win over UNC should get Montana a berth. There are several other scenarios, but most will factor in during the final week of games (Montana is at Southern Utah next week).

The Griz still often look like a young team (which they are), solidly in last in defensive stats. Otherwise, they look capable of beating any team in the conference. I've attched video clips of plays I mentioned above.

Rain, wind or snow, I'll be at Montana's final game tomorrow. Go Griz.

[media]https://twitter.com/MontanaGrizSB/status/1121907558418042881[/media]
[media]https://twitter.com/MontanaGrizSB/status/1121910891119726593[/media]
[media]https://twitter.com/MontanaGrizSB/status/1121928180753817601[/media]
[media]https://www.egriz.com/grizboard/posting.php?mode=post&f=13[/media]
[media]https://twitter.com/MontanaGrizSB/status/1121931090141175808[/media]
[media]https://twitter.com/MontanaGrizSB/status/1121942424689893376[/media]
 
With today's 4-2 win over Northern Colorado, Montana gets another home-field sweep and, most importantly, punches a ticket to the Big Sky Conf. post-season tourney.

Montana took care of biz like this young team has done frequently: solid pitching, solid pitching depth, and outstanding hitting. This weekend, you can add sterling defense. Here's a link to a good coverage story by Joel Carlson: https://gogriz.com/news/2019/4/27/softball-seniors-go-out-with-a-sweep.aspx

Again, sophomore Cami Sellers drove in the game winner with a "no-doubt" blast to right-center in the bottom of the 6th (watch below). Not a walk-off, but just as efficient, since sr. pitcher Colleen Driscoll set down the Bears in order in the top of the 7th. I wish the GrizVision had included Sellers' 6th inning no-flinch catch of a screaming liner in the top of the 7th. So, I repeat: Sellers has my vote for Big Sky Conf. regular season 1st Team All-Conference... her play, and her stats are proof.

Kudos to Montana coach, Melanie Meuchel as well. Her adjustments in the lineup on defense and offense, strengthened the team as the season progressed, while giving playing time to almost every player in the roster. This will be a deep team next year. For an example, look at today's box score to see how Meuchel made in-game adjustments: 14 players saw game action.

While the team struggled at times defensively this season, today they played error-free ball... a sign to me that they're getting better with each game. As an example, check out the play down the line by 3b Kylie Becker (below). One of the best defensive plays of the season in my book.

Montana plays at Southern Utah next week, where final standings will determine Montana's tourney seeding. I wouldn't be surprised at anything from a 3rd to 6th place finish. With this team's steady improvement, I wouldn't be surprised to see them make a move in the tourney. Go Griz.

[media]https://twitter.com/MontanaGrizSB/status/1122235342394757120[/media]
[media]https://twitter.com/MontanaGrizSB/status/1122230647227990016[/media]
 
grizzlyjournal said:
With today's 4-2 win over Northern Colorado, Montana gets another home-field sweep and, most importantly, punches a ticket to the Big Sky Conf. post-season tourney.

Montana took care of biz like this young team has done frequently: solid pitching, solid pitching depth, and outstanding hitting. This weekend, you can add sterling defense. Here's a link to a good coverage story by Joel Carlson: https://gogriz.com/news/2019/4/27/softball-seniors-go-out-with-a-sweep.aspx

Again, sophomore Cami Sellers drove in the game winner with a "no-doubt" blast to right-center in the bottom of the 6th (watch below). Not a walk-off, but just as efficient, since sr. pitcher Colleen Driscoll set down the Bears in order in the top of the 7th. I wish the GrizVision had included Sellers' 6th inning no-flinch catch of a screaming liner in the top of the 7th. So, I repeat: Sellers has my vote for Big Sky Conf. regular season 1st Team All-Conference... her play, and her stats are proof.

Kudos to Montana coach, Melanie Meuchel as well. Her adjustments in the lineup on defense and offense, strengthened the team as the season progressed, while giving playing time to almost every player in the roster. This will be a deep team next year. For an example, look at today's box score to see how Meuchel made in-game adjustments: 14 players saw game action.

While the team struggled at times defensively this season, today they played error-free ball... a sign to me that they're getting better with each game. As an example, check out the play down the line by 3b Kylie Becker (below). One of the best defensive plays of the season in my book.

Montana plays at Southern Utah next week, where final standings will determine Montana's tourney seeding. I wouldn't be surprised at anything from a 3rd to 6th place finish. With this team's steady improvement, I wouldn't be surprised to see them make a move in the tourney. Go Griz.

[media]https://twitter.com/MontanaGrizSB/status/1122235342394757120[/media]
[media]https://twitter.com/MontanaGrizSB/status/1122230647227990016[/media]

Really excited for theses girls. Getting into the post season was a big first step for this young team. They’re constantly showing signs of improving as the the game goes on. It normally seems they’re the far better team in innings 5-7. They’ve been doing a better job of late of not giving up so many runs in the early innings which they struggled with earlier.

They can still move up too while currently sitting at 5th. 3rd and 4th place face off against #1 and #2 this weekend end while we go up against the last place team in the con.
 
Hope they play well this weekend and into the tourney. They seem to be getting better. Sellers was the biggest pick up ever and should be newcomer of the year. I still see a lot of young mistakes and defensive errors that shouldn’t be so frequent. They are .420 overall at 21-29 and sub .500 in conference at only 7-8. 5th place in a conference that takes 6 of the 7 to the tourney. I’ll scream my ass off for them but they have a long ways to go imo.
 
Back
Top