Montana blasts past Weber State to open Big Sky softball tournament
Griz hit 6 home runs against reeling WSU pitchers
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- Weber State shortstop Taegan Smith readies for a throw to first base in a Big Sky tournament game Monday, May 4, 2026, in Pocatello, Idaho.
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- Weber State’s Sadie Kirk, left, touches home after a home run in a Big Sky tournament game Monday, May 4, 2026, in Pocatello, Idaho.
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- Weber State’s Taegan Smith hits the ball in a Big Sky tournament game Monday, May 4, 2026, in Pocatello, Idaho.
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- Weber State pitcher Cali McCraw winds for a pitch in a Big Sky tournament game Monday, May 4, 2026, in Pocatello, Idaho.
Montana socked a program-record six home runs and Weber State softball took another loss to open the Big Sky Conference tournament Monday morning in Pocatello, Idaho, starting the week’s action with an 8-3 decision in the event hosted by Idaho State.
The resurgence continues for the Griz (20-30), who reached 20 wins for the first time since 2022. Weber State, meanwhile, continues its down season with its fourth loss in four tries against Montana after UM swept WSU in the regular season for the first time three weeks ago.
In the double-elimination bracket, No. 5 Weber State next plays at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday against the loser from Monday’s nightcap — No. 2 Northern Colorado against No. 3 Sacramento State — which finished after press time.
No. 4 Montana, bouncing back from an 8-42 campaign last year, got three homers from shortstop Anna Cockhill to spur Montana to its first conference tournament win since 2022. It’s the first time one player has hit three home runs in a conference tournament game.
Cockhill launched a two-run homer in the first off WSU starter Cali McCraw to put UM ahead, and added solo homers in the fifth (against freshman Kendall Freidinger) and sixth (off sophomore Raina Navarro) innings.
WSU trailed 8-2 through six. Taegan Smith’s sacrifice fly to score Sadie Kirk had the game at 2-1 midway through the fourth inning. But by the time Kirk hit a solo homer in the top of the sixth, that cut Weber’s deficit to 7-2.
The Wildcats (14-41) added three hits in the top of the seventh, pushed across one run and loaded the bases, but couldn’t sustain a rally from there.
McCraw threw 3 2/3 innings in taking the loss, also surrendering a two-run home run to Brianna Gutierrez and a solo shot to outfielder Jessica Cherms back-to-back in the fourth inning, ending her day.
Allowing six home runs in one contest put a point on WSU’s pitching struggles this season; the Wildcats came into the game having allowed 83 home runs in 54 contests, just more than 1.5 per game.
