Weber State University Athletics
Weber State University
1-2
Montana
1-2
'Cats Split Saturday Pair at GCU Kickoff Classic
2/13/2021 11:35:00 AM | Softball
"We started very slow yesterday and we didn't really play Wildcat softball," said head coach Mary Kay Amicone.  "I really liked our effort against Montana today. We were gritty and fought very hard. We hit throughout our line up. McKell, Ash, Mia and Noelle had great days at the plate. We pitched a lot better as well. We're excited to be back playing and improving everyday."
The Wildcats got on the board first against the Grizzlies with a single run in the second inning. Aliya Harmon and Noelle Foster followed a Katelyn Whiting walk with back-to-back singles to load the bases, and McKell McCuistion drew a bases-loaded walk for the RBI.Weber State added a second run in the third inning as Lauren Hoe singled to lead off the frame and later scored on a sacrifice bunt by Whiting.
Montana responded in the top of the fourth inning with a pair of runs on a solo homer and a sacrifice fly, but WSU pushed the game back to a two-run margin in the bottom of the inning with a pair of their own. Foster started the frame with a solo shot over the center field fence, and Ashlyn Visser followed singles by Mia Rushton and McCuistion with an RBI double.
The game became a back-and-forth affair as the Grizzlies scored three times in the fifth, powered by a 2-RBI double by McKenna Tjaden, but the Wildcats went back to work in their half, scoring four times to take an 8-5 lead. Foster doubled home Whiting to tie the game, and for the second time in the game, Rushton and McCuistion singled back-to-back, with McCuistion's knock scoring Foster. Visser once again followed the pair of singles with an RBI double, this time scoring pinch runner Baylee Blanchard.
The Wildcats held in the top of the 6th, and made the score 9-5 in the bottom as Whiting doubled to right center, driving home Faith Hoe, who reached on a bunt single to lead off the inning.
Montana threatened in the seventh inning with two consecutive one-out singles, but Mariah Ramirez shut down the threat with the final two outs of the game.
Rushton and Foster each went 3-4 and scored twice in the game, with Foster adding a pair of RBI. McCuistion and Visser each added a pair of hits, with McCuistion driving in a team-high three runs and Visser adding 2 RBI on her pair of doubles. Ramirez pitched four innings of relief to pick up the win for the Wildcats.
In the second game of the day, Oregon scored a single first inning run and burst out with three runs in the second inning and didn't look back after, adding another single run in the third and another three-spot in the fifth to put the game away.
McCuistion, Whiting and Harmon each recorded a single hit for the Wildcats in the game.
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Dail, Jordan (1-0)
L: Donaldson, Kate (0-2)
Batting:
2B: Cruse, Haley 2 ; Wagner, L. 1
HR: Felder, Mya 1
RBI: Cruse, Haley 4 ; Cid, Rachel 1 ; Bunker, A. 1 ; Felder, Mya 1 ; Wagner, L. 1
SF: Wagner, L. 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Cruse, Haley 2 ; Delgado, H. 1 ; Pangilinan 1 ; Felder, Mya 2 ; Wong, V. 1 ; Wagner, L. 1
SB: Cruse, Haley 1 ; Cid, Rachel 1 ; Delgado, H. 1
