OGDEN, Utah - No. 2 Southern Utah softball advanced into the winner's bracket with a thrilling 3-1 triumph against No. 6 Montana during the nightcap of the first day of competition at the Big Sky Conference Championship. 

Tyler Denhart pitched a gem to move to 9-13 on the season..  She held Montana to just one run on eight hits by inducing eight flyouts and 11 groundouts.  SUU's stellar defense played lights out behind Denhart by turning two double plays against Montana.

The Thunderbirds threatened in the bottom of the first frame, following a solid top of the first by Denhart.

Makall Whetten drew her 19th hit by pitch to leadoff before Brooke Brown also reached base on a hit-by-pitch. Josey White followed with a bloop single up the middle to load the bases, but the T-Birds were unable to capitalize.

SUU demonstrated strong defensive play as Dayna Hokanson turned her first double play to end the top of the second stanza.  

Montana picked up the first run of the contest in the top of the third inning after an SUU throwing miscue, giving Montana a 1-0 lead. 

SUU responded in the bottom of the third to take a 2-1 lead.  

Brown knotted the game at 1-1 with a triple to left field.  Hokanson, who reached base with another hit-by-pitch, raced home from first for the tying run. 

Brown's 51st RBI of the season tied her for fifth on SUU's single-season charts with Bonnie Cahill's 1981 tally. Cahill's 51 RBI stood as SUU's record for 25 years until the epic 2006 scoring season that featured Marci Pratt (58), Kortny Hall (54) and Tiffany Burt (52).

Kalena Shepherd then punched a double to left field to bring home Brown and take a 2-1 advantage for the T-Birds. 

The Thunderbirds turned in another stellar defensive performance in the top of the fifth.  Skyler Ball erased two likely Grizzly runs with a diving play in right field to end the inning.

White connected on a two-out pitch in the bottom of the fifth to double home Brown to extend SUU's lead to 3-1. That was White's 15th double of the season, which moved her to 10th in the single-season school rankings behind the 16 two-baggers put up by Kelsey Bryan (2013),Lacee LePrey (2004) and Joni Bardsley (2000).  

Denhart pitched her way out of some trouble in the top of the sixth, stranding a pair of Portland State runners behind some effective pitching. 

Hokanson then was part of a Gianna Carosone - Hokanson - Reilly Williams double play to end the game in the top of the seventh.

It was a day of upsets in other Big Sky tournament action. 

No. 5 Portland State picked up a pair of wins to join Southern Utah in the winner's bracket.  Portland State opened the day with a 4-0 blanking of No. 4 Northern Colorado before upsetting No. 1 Weber State, 2-1.  

No. 6 Montana made its way into the contest with SUU by way of a 6-3 triumph against No. 3 Sacramento State.

Tomorrow, No. 1 Weber State faces No. 3 Sacramento State at 9:30 a.m. MST, while No. 4 Northern Colorado competes against No. 6 Montana at Noon MST in the loser's bracket of the double-elimination tournament. 

No. 2 Southern Utah battles No. 5 Portland State at 2:30 p.m. MST in the winner's bracket before the winners of the two earlier contests play at 5 p.m. MST. to determine who survives until Saturday. 

Follow Us

Stay up to date during the 2021 Thunderbird Softball season by following @SUUSoftball on Twitter and Instagram and liking the Southern Utah Softball page on Facebook.