MISSOULA, Mont. – Southern Utah took a four-run seventh inning rally to inch by the Grizzlies for a 7-6 series closing victory.
The Thunderbirds went three up, three down to open the game before the Grizzlies tacked up two runs on three hits in the bottom of the first. Montana added a run in the bottom of the second to extend its lead to three before the third inning was scoreless.
Kylee Wolf homered to center field in the top of third to earn Southern Utah's first run of the game and cut Montana's lead to two.
The Grizzlies responded with a three run rally on four hits in the bottom of the third to extend the gap, 6-1.
The game saw a scoreless fifth inning before the Thunderbirds clenched two runs in the sixth. Sara Park singled through the right side before Lyndsey Healey singled to left field to push Park to second. Healey and Park each advanced on a wild pitch before Jordan Theurer doubled to left field to score Healey and Park for two RBIs and force a three-run game.
Southern Utah held Montana in the bottom of six to enter the seventh trailing the Grizzlies, 3-6. Taylor Dumas launched SUU's seventh inning rally with a single to left field before Ashley Clayson walked to advance Dumas to second. Amanda Cook singled through the right side to push Clayson to third and score Dumas.
Park kept the momentum rolling with a single to push Cook to second and score Clayson to force a one-run game. Theurer walked with two outs to load the bases before Kaitlin Williams knocked a clutch double to score Cook and Park and take Southern Utah's first lead of the game at 7-6.
The Grizzlies managed to load the bases in the bottom of the seventh before the T-Birds executed defensively to hold Montana and capture the win.
Park and Williams both finished with two hits for the Thunderbirds as Wolf, Healey, Theurer, Dumas, and Cook each contributed one. Theurer and Williams tacked two RBIs with Wolf, Park, and Cook adding one a piece.
Hanna Wynn pitched four innings for Southern Utah as Ashley Ostler cleaned up for the final three.
The Thunderbirds will round out Big Sky play with a series at North Dakota on Apr. 24 and Apr. 25 before concluded conference at home by hosting a series with Northern Colorado on May 1 and May 2.
