MISSOULA, Mont. - The Carroll Softball team fell in a Tuesday afternoon exhibition doubleheader to NCAA Division I Montana, 8-0, 9-1, at Grizzly Softball Field.

The Fighting Saints (17-19-1) couldn't keep pace offensively with the Grizzlies, dropping both non-counters by run-rule.

GAME ONE:
Hits were hard to come by for the visiting Saints, as a team, Carroll went just 3-18 at the plate.

Sammie Labrum (Kalispell, Mont. / SO) provided two of the three hits, going 2-2 in her plate appearances, while Kati Slater (Yamhill, Ore. / SO) added the team's only other hit, a great bunt to move Labrum up a bag in the second frame. 

Stranding Labrum and Slater in the top of the second would prove costly, with the Griz adding six runs in the bottom of the frame.

Jessica Stanfield opened things up with a two-RBI single, and Presley Jantzi followed up with a two-RBI double just a few batters later to put UM on top 4-0. Riley Pesheck brought home Jantzi with a single, and Kelly Sweyer capped the run with one final RBI single to give the Griz a 6-0 advantage.

After uneventful third and fourth innings, Montana would find a finisher in the home half of the fifth. Sweyer led off with a single, and Hannah Jablonski followed up with a walk-off homer to left-center, ending the game at 8-0.

GAME TWO:
The second game of the afternoon started with a bang for the Saints. Brookelynn Jackson (Keizer, Ore. / FR) took the second pitch of the game yard, giving Carroll a quick 1-0 lead.

An error in right field opened the door for Montana to tie things up in the bottom of the first. Jablonski would capitalize on the opportunity, evening the game on a sacrifice fly.

A big third inning by the Griz would put Carroll in a hole. Montana scored six runs on six hits in the frame, batting through the order before Carroll could finally record the third out. A pair of RBI triples started the big run, followed by a two-RBI double by Kynzie Mohl, and some small ball to set up a two-RBI single from Chloe Saxton as UM would jump in front 7-1. 

RIley Pesheck delivered the final blow to the Saints' hopes in the sixth inning, with her second, and Montana's fourth triple of the game to score two and give the Griz an 8-1 win.

Kati Slater continued her strong day for the Saints, going 2-2 with a walk in her three plate appearances in game two.

Carroll's full attention now turns towards a crucial final home series of the season, as the Saints play host to Oregon Tech on Friday and Saturday in Helena.

Visit www.carrollathletics.com for a preview of those games, and to stay up to date with everything going on in Carroll Athletics.