MISSOULA, Mont. – Utah Valley University's Addie Jensen and Montana's Michaela Hood seemingly match one another pitch-for-pitch into extra innings, but in the end the Grizzlies managed to come out on top to clinch the non-conference series with a 2-1 victory on Friday afternoon in nine innings of play.
 
UVU dropped its fourth consecutive contest with the setback to fall to 7-14 on the season, while Montana improved to 11-17 with the victory.  
 
The Wolverines were the first to push a run across in the top of the third thanks to a two-out RBI single from Brianna Moeller. Kirsten Andersen started the inning with a double and after consecutive groundouts came around to score on Moeller's RBI knock to give UVU a 1-0 lead.
 
Utah Valley held the 1-0 advantage until last of the fifth when the Grizzlies managed to push across a run of their own to tie the game at 1-1. Kaylie Hayton started the inning with a leadoff single and after consecutive groundouts came in to score on a two-out RBI single from Ashlyn Lyons to tie the game up at 1-all.
 
Both UVU's Jensen and Montana's Hood settled down from there, as they responded to pitch scoreless frames in the late innings to send the game into extras all tied up at 1-1.
 
The Wolverine offense then threatened in the eighth by putting together two-out rally to put two on with two out, but UM's Hood responded by retiring Basia Query to escape the jam. The Grizzlies then looked to get something going in the last of the eighth with a one-out single, but UVU's Jensen bounced back once again with a fielder's choice and a groundout to end the threat.
 
Utah Valley then doubled for the second consecutive inning in the top of the ninth when Taleigh Williams delivered a one-out two-bagger, but Hood once again managed to escape the jam by retiring the next two batters she faced to send the game to the last of the ninth.
 
In the bottom of the ninth, Montana then put the game away on a leadoff walk-off homer from Jessica McAlister to win by a score of 2-1.
 
Despite allowing just two runs on eighth hits in eight-plus innings of action, Jensen ended up being the tough-luck loser to drop to 4-6 on the year. UM's Hood earned the win to improve to improve to 4-6 after giving up just one run on seven hits in 9.0 innings of action. The contest marked Jensen's third extra-inning outing of the season and her sixth complete game.
 
Moeller led the Wolverines offensively by going 2-for-3 with an RBI, while Williams and Andersen both posted 2-for-4 outings.
 
UVU will look to salvage a game of the non-conference series in the weekend finale on Saturday. First pitch is scheduled for noon MT at Grizzly Softball Field. Following the contest, UVU will return to Orem for its 2018 home opener on Wednesday, March 21 against both Idaho State and Utah State.