'Dons Drop a Pair, Take UTEP to Extra Innings

Friday, February 16

El Paso, Texas

1 PM ET

Purdue Fort Wayne

1-4

Montana

3-3

MONTANA

Purdue Fort Wayne

Bailey Manos

Photo by: Robert Hayes

'Dons Drop a Pair, Take UTEP to Extra Innings

2/16/2024 9:53:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 Game 1 Box Score Game 2 Box Score

EL PASO, Texas - The Purdue Fort Wayne softball team fell in a pair of non-league games on Friday (Feb. 16) on the opening day of the UTEP Invitational, including an extra-inning game with the host Miners.

GAME 1 - Montana 5, Purdue Fort Wayne 1
The Mastodons dropped the first game of the weekend 5-1 to Montana.

Purdue Fort Wayne jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first inning. Gwen McMenemy doubled then Epiphany Hang brought her home with a single to right field.

Montana evened the game in the second, then took the lead with a two-run fourth. The Grizzlies added two more in the seventh.

In the fifth inning, Bailey Manos and Brayden Lickey both drew walks, but were stranded on base. An inning later, Brooke Lickey doubled to get into scoring position, but she was also left on the base paths.

Manos finished 1-for-2 at the plate with two walks.

Alanah Jones threw all 7.0 innings but took the loss. She struck out three Grizzlies. Montana's Grace Haegele got the win after tossing all seven innings.

Montana improved to 3-3.

GAME 2 - UTEP 6, Purdue Fort Wayne 5 - 8 innings
In the nightcap, the Mastodons fell to the host UTEP 6-5 in eight innings. The 'Dons were one out away from the win after scoring two in the eighth, but the Miners managed two late hits to score the game-winning run.

After a 3-3 stymie through seven innings, Brooke Lickey laid down a sacrifice bunt to advance Aglaia Rudd. Then three consecutive at bats found the base baths. Brayden Lickey knocked in Rudd, then Tori Countryman, McKenna Minton and Manos all singled in a row to score another.

The 'Dons took a 3-2 lead in the fifth by scoring two runs. Grace Hollopeter brought Minton home, then McMenemy scored on a UTEP error.

In the third inning, Hollopeter had a deep shot to center that would have been a home run to tie the game at two, but UTEP's Ashlynn Allen made an incredible play to rob it.

Manos finished game two 3-for-5 with an RBI. McMenemy had two hits and two runs. Minton had two hits and a run.

Gracie Brinkerhoff got the start and ultimately pitched 7.1 innings after reentering. Kayla Roberts tossed 0.1 innings in relief. UTEP's Taja Felder threw 3.2 innings in relief to get the win.

UTEP improves to 8-1. Purdue Fort Wayne falls to 1-5. These two teams will meet again on Saturday (Feb. 17) at 4 p.m. ET. The 'Dons will play North Dakota following that game.