07/02/2009
GREAT FALLS, Mont., July 2, 2009 —University of Great Falls softball coach Gary Ehnes has announced the signing of two athletes to NAIA Letters of Intent for the upcoming 2009-2010 season.
Amanda Morris is a outfielder from C.M. Russell High School in Great Falls, Montana where she helped the Lady Rustlers and her teammates win a fifth state championship in 2007. Amanda plans to study pre-nursing while attending the University of Great Falls after finishing two very successful season at Dawson Community College in Glendive, Montana.
"I am excited to start over with a new team that loves the game as much as I do. I have great hopes for the upcoming season," said Morris.
"Amanda brings an explosive quickness to the outfield defense which is very exciting and we are happy to have her back in Great Falls playing for the hometown fans,” said University of Great Falls softball coach Gary Ehnes.
The Argo softball team has also announced the signing of Samantha Wood from Hamilton, Montana where she attended Hamilton High School and competed in softball, cheerleading and volleyball for the Broncs. Wood was an Academic All-State softball player in 2009 and one of the leading hitters for Hamilton. She finished high school with 3.5 GPA and plans to major in Accounting at the University of Great Falls. Samantha will share defensive duties in the outfield with Amanda (Morris) to add a speed dimension to the Argo defense. The former Hamilton High standout will undergo minor knee surgery and depending on her recovery process she could redshirt for the Argos during the 2009-2010 season.
"We are looking for left handed hitters so Sam fills our needs adding average and power from the left side," said Ehnes.
06/08/2009
GREAT FALLS, Mont., June 8, 2009 — University of Great Falls Softball coach Gary Ehnes has announced the signing of three in-state athletestoan NAIA Letters of Intent for the 2009-10 season.
Dani (D.J.) Johnson will join the University of Great Falls this fall from Missoula Hellgate High School in Missoula, Montana where she helped lead the Lady Knights to their first Class AA state championship appearance in school history as a pitcher. The Knights fell short in their bid for a state championship as they fell twice to Helena Capital in the championship round in Helena in May.
“D.J. recorded twenty one wins against four losses on the mound last season which speaks well about her leadership qualities,” said Softball Coach Gary Ehnes. “Johnson possesses tenacity on the mound and understands the mental aspects of pitching.”
“Great Falls is a perfect fit for me, it is a small school where I can get a great education and play softball,” said Johnson. “The Biology program is outstanding and I think I will get everything I am looking for. I am also looking forward to being coached by (pitching coach) Joey Ehnes, I have heard great things about her and I am confident she will be able to help me become successful at the next level. Being a part of a college team is a dream come true for me.”
Johnson had a 3.6 GPA in high school and plans on majoring in Biology at the University of Great Falls.
Holly Old Crow will also be joining the team as a pitcher from Hardin High School in Hardin, Montana. She plans to major in Criminal Justice at the University of Great Falls.
“Holly appears to be genuinely focused on her future goals and we hope she will mature into an outstanding force on the team,” said Ehnes.
“The reason that I plan on attending the University of Great Falls is because I want to further my education (as a Native American),” said Old Crow. “I want to be a role model for those who grew up around me.”
Elizabeth Baker has also been added to the Argo softball team as a utility player who played a key role for the 2009 Helena Capital Lady Bruins State AA championship team as a first baseman. Baker is interested in the Social Sciences and possible Pre-Med for her future education goals and brings a 3.8 GPA from high school to the University of Great Falls.
“Liz is an exciting and talented player, but the difficult part will be to find what position she is best suited for as she is capable of playing multiple positions,” said Ehnes.
“After winning a state championship (at Capital High), I am excited to attend the University of Great Falls and play softball at the next level,” said Baker. “I am looking forward to having a successful career with the Argos.”
04/24/2009
GREAT FALLS, Mont., April 24, 2009 —University of Great Falls softball coach Gary Ehnes has announced the signing of two athletes to NAIA Letters of Intent for the upcoming 2009-2010 season.
Kayla Souza is a pitcher from Patterson High School in Patterson, California. Souza will bring her pitching skills to the University of Great Falls that she developed under the supervision of widely known pitching coach Jimmy Dyson. Kayla plans on studying Elementary Education while attending the University of Great Falls beginning next fall.
"We are looking forward to bringing more California softball student-athletes to Montana to share our beautiful state while adding their extensive game experience to our program,” said University of Great Falls softball coach Gary Ehnes.
The Argo softball team has also announced the signing of Dakota Peterson from Ronan, Montana where she attended Polson High School. The former Polson High standout will join the team as a pitcher where she will bring her state championship experience with her to the University of Great Falls. Dakota is an honor student with plans to study Education at the University of Great Falls.
"Dakota is another fine example of the small town athlete who is prepared to compete at the collegiate level," said Ehnes.
04/19/2009
GREAT FALLS, MT – April 19, 2009 – After winning both of their home games on Saturday against Dawson Community College, the Argos easily took the first contest 8-0 but could not get their offense going and fell 11-3 in the second game at the Multi-Sports Complex in Great Falls. Both games ended early due to the eight run rule.
Jenna Rosenberg's (JR, Othello, WA) right field single quickly got the Argos on the scoreboard in the first game as she drove home Sam Schultz (SR, Libby, MT). The Argos would also score another run on a fielding error by Dawson Community College to go up 2-0 after one inning. The Argo defense would not allow any runs in the second inning. Jennifer Stewart (SO, Plains, MT) crossed home plate in the bottom of the inning as Sam Schultz connected on a double. The Argos ended the inning by adding another run as Jenna Rosenberg brought home Schultz from third base with a single to centerfield. The University of Great Falls would take a 5-0 lead in the third inning with Emily Graham's (FR, Calgary, AB) solo home run out to right field off Dawson pitcher Brittney Fedler. This was Graham's third home run this weekend. Great Falls would put the game out of reach in the following inning with Jenna Rosenberg's three-run home run off Dawson hurler Megan Ries that also brought home Desiree Clarke (FR, Whitefish, MT) and Sam Schultz. The Argos would not allow any runs scored by Dawson CC in the top of the fifth inning. Schultz' double play helped Great Falls secure the win.
The Argos had 12 hits in the contest and Sarah DeVore (JR, Hardin, MT) picked up the victory on the mound.
In the second game, the Lady Buccaneers wasted no time in picking up some runs against Great Falls. Dawson's Amanda Morris and Brittney Ceaser each scored on a double to lead 2-0. Both teams would not score in the second inning. Dawson's offense did not let up as Jessica Steven's single to centerfield brought home two more Lady Buccaneers to stretch the lead to four before the Argos got going in the third. Calgary native Emily Graham connected on a double to bring home teammate Suzie Etsell (SO, Chestermere, AB) to cut the deficit to 4-1. Graham would score two batters later on a single by Sam Schultz and Micaela Kurth (FR, Meridian, ID) cut the deficit to 3-4 on a errant throw by Dawson Community College. Over the next three innings, the Lady Buccaneers put up six runs as five different players scored to make the score 11-3. The Lady Argos could not find a way to score in the bottom of the sixth inning so Dawson picked up their first victory this weekend over Great Falls.
Dawson CC scored 11 runs on 14 hits and had two errors while the Argos scored all three of their runs in the third inning on eight hits. Miles City native Megan Ries picked up the victory for the Buccaneers. Casey Olson (FR, Valleyford, WA) pitched the first two innings of the game for the Argos before Lindsay Cline (SO, Helena, MT) relieved her.
Click here to view season stats for the University of Great Falls.
The Lady Argos remain at 5-11 on the season because two year school’s don’t count in the overall NAIA standings. Dawson CC goes to 6-22 on the season.
04/18/2009
GREAT FALLS, MT – April 18, 2009 – The University of Great Falls softball team defeated Dawson Community College 10-2 and 4-2 on Saturday afternoon at the Multi-Sports Complex in Great Falls. This was the Argos first home appearance this season.
After a scoreless first inning by both teams, the Argos took a 1-0 lead as Micaela Kurth (FR, Meridian, ID) singled to right field and Suzie Etsell (SO, Chestermere, AB) was able to cross home plate for Great Falls in the second inning. Dawson Community College was able to tie the game in the following inning as Great Falls native Amanda Morris scored off a wild pitch by Sarah DeVore (JR, Hardin, MT). Great Falls managed to score two runs in the bottom of the third inning to take a 3-1 lead. Sam Schultz (SR, Libby, MT) and Jenna Rosenberg (JR, Othello, WA) each connected on solo home runs for the Argos. Emily Graham (FR, Calgary, AB) scored the third home run for Great Falls in the fourth inning to give the Argos a 4-1 advantage over the Buccaneers. The Argo defense held Dawson CC scoreless in the fifth inning. Micaela Kurth and Desiree Clarke (FR, Whitefish, MT) each connected on singles and drove in three runs as Great Falls found themselves leading 7-1 after five. Dawson's Whitney Newman crossed home plate off a single by Jessica Stevens to cut the Buccaneer's deficit to 7-2. Lindsay Cline (SO, Helena, MT) put the game away as she connected on a three-run home run off Dawson pitcher Meghan Dewar in the bottom of the sixth inning. Sam Schultz, Jenna Rosenberg and Cline all scored for Great Falls.
Great Falls proved to be the better team as they out-hit Dawson Community College 16-4 and four different Argos had home runs. Sarah DeVore was credited with the win for the Argos.
Neither team scored in the first two innings of the second game. Sam Schultz's single to right field brought home Jennifer Stewart (SO, Plains, MT) in the third inning. Schultz eventually scored on an error by the Buccaneers as the Argos quickly led 2-0. Jenna Rosenberg also scored off a sacrifice fly to right field in the inning. Dawson's attempted to make a comeback in the fourth inning as Kristen Delude scored off a single by Brittney Ceaser. On the next play, Argo shortstop Sam Schultz converted a double play for the Argos. Whitney Newman added a hit out to centerfield and Karissa Fenstermacher scored for Dawson to cut their deficit to 3-2. The score would remain 3-2 until the sixth inning when Emily Graham connected on her second home run of the day off of Dawson pitcher Brittany Fedler. The Argos didn't allow the Buccaneers to score any runs in the top of the seventh inning to pick up their second victory of the day.
Great Falls' Lindsay Cline pitched 4 1/3 innings for the Argos before Casey Olson (FR, Valleyford, WA) came in to relieve her for the rest of the contest. Great Falls scored four runs on seven hits while Dawson Community College scored twice on 8 hits.
Click here to view season stats for the University of Great Falls.
The Lady Argos remain at 5-11 on the season because two year school’s don’t count in the overall NAIA standings. Dawson goes to 5-21.
04/13/2009
CALDWELL, ID – April 13, 2009 – The University of Great Falls softball team got swept in both games to the College of Idaho on Monday afternoon at Symms Field in Caldwell, Idaho. The Argos fell 10-1 in the first contest and 2-0 in the nightcap.
After both teams failed to score in the first inning, the Argos jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the second inning as Sarah DeVore (JR, Hardin, MT) tripled to right field and then Samantha Stevens (SO, Great Falls, MT) singled up the middle to bring home DeVore for the first run of the game for both teams. Great Falls would not be able to keep their lead as the College of Idaho scored four runs in the third inning. College of Idaho's Stephanie Stover tied the game up at 1-1 as she came home from third base. Heather Dixon homered for the Lady Coyotes on the next play to bring home Brittany Wenzel and Kristen Haugen to make the score 4-1 after three innings. The College of Idaho scored six runs in the fourth inning including Jody Zillner's home run to right center field that brought home four runs. The University of Great Falls could not add any runs in the bottom of the inning so the game ended after five innings.
Sarah DeVore pitched all four innings for the Argos while Jody Zillner struck out nine of the 18 batters she faced on the day. The College of Idaho out-hit Great Falls 9-4. DeVore went 2-for-2 and scored a run for the Argos.
In the nightcap, Donnae opened up the scoring drive for the Lady Coyotes off a single by Kristen Haugen in the first inning. The game would remain 1-0 in favor of the College of Idaho until the bottom of third inning when Kristen Haugen singled to right field and brought home Heather Dixon from third to give the Coyotes a 2-0 advantage. Both defenses held up the rest of the way as the College of Idaho held on for the win over the Argos.
Sam Schultz (JR, Libby, MT) and Jenna Rosenberg (JR, Othello, WA) each went 1-for-3 in the contest while Stacy Gray (FR, Spokane, WA) and Sarah DeVore each went for 1-for-2 as the Argos had four hits. Meanwhile, Kristen Haugen and Stacy Smith each went 2-for-3 for the Lady Coyotes. Lindsay Cline (SO, Helena, MT) allowed 7 hits and 3 strikeouts in six innings while on the mound for Great Falls. College of Idaho pitcher Brooke Judy allowed 4 hits and struck out 9 Great Falls batters in seven innings of work.
Click here to view season stats for the University of Great Falls.
The Lady Argos are now 5-11 on the season while the College of Idaho goes to 19-14.
04/12/2009
LA GRANDE, OR – April 12, 2009 – The University of Great Falls softball team had an early 1-0 lead through the first three innings before falling 2-1 to Eastern Oregon in the first game followed by an 8-0 setback in the second game of the doubleheader at Anderson Field on Sunday afternoon in LaGrande, Oregon.
Desiree Clarke (FR, Whitefish, MT) got the Lady Argos on the scoreboard in the first inning as Lindsay Cline (SO, Helena, MT) was able to get Clarke home to give the Argos a 1-0 advantage. Eastern Oregon's Megan Monaghan homered off Argo pitcher Sarah DeVore (JR, Hardin, MT) in the third inning to tie the contest up at 1-1. In the bottom of the sixth inning, Ashleigh Byrne gave the Mountaineers the lead as she scored to go ahead run from a double to left center field by Megan Platz. Great Falls tried to tie the game as Sarah DeVore added a single and eventually made it to third base before the Argos final out of the contest. The University of Great Falls out-hit the Mountaineers 7-6 and had only 1 error in the game. Desiree Clarke led the Argos by going 2-for-4 and scored a run. Meanwhile, Sam Schultz (JR, Libby, MT), Lindsay Cline, Stacy Gray (FR, Spokane, WA), and Emily Graham (FR, Calgary, AB) each went 1-for-3 on the day.
Megan Platz scored on a solo home run over right field in the bottom of the first inning of the second game to quickly put the Mountaineers ahead. A few batters later, Megan Monaghan scored off an Ashli Hughes single up the middle as Eastern Oregon finished off the inning by scoring two runs. The Mountaineers held Great Falls scoreless in the top of the second inning. After Ashleigh Byrne and Kassi Reisbeck each singled for Eastern Oregon in the bottom of the inning, Megan Platz was hit by a pitch from Argo pitcher Lindsay Cline. Megan Monaghan drove in four runs off her home run over center field as the Argos quickly found themselves trailing 6-0. The Mountaineers were not done yet as Iris Woodhead knocked the ball out of the park for a solo home run on the next play to give Eastern Oregon a 7-0 lead. After both teams went scoreless in the third inning, Suzie Espinoza homered to left field in the bottom of the fourth inning to increase the lead for the Mountaineers to 8-0. Casey Olson (FR, Valleyford, WA) singled to centerfield in the fifth inning to prevent a no-hitter by Mountaineer pitcher Suzie Espinoza. Eastern Oregon managed 12 hits in the game including home runs by four different student athletes.
Click here to view season stats for the University of Great Falls.
The Lady Argos are now 5-9 on the season while Eastern Oregon University improves to 10-18.
03/20/2009
GREAT FALLS, Mont., March 20, 2009 —University of Great Falls Softball coach Gary Ehnes has announced the signing of Chea Hollis and Nicole Banach to NAIA Letters of Intent for the 2009-10 season.
Chea Hollis is currently a senior at Great Falls High School in Great Falls, Montana where she is a member of the National Honor Society. During the 2007-08 season, she was a member of the First Team All-State team, named Most Valuable Player on the Great Falls High Softball Team and was also on the 2008 Great Falls Tribune Super State team. Chea holds three team records at Great Falls High including 14 doubles and 41 RBI’s and a .530 batting average.
Hollis plans to major in Criminal Justice at the University of Great Falls and hopes to begin a career in Forensic Science.
“Chea is extremely athletic and possesses good speed which is a great combination to be a successful player at the NAIA level," said UGF Softball Coach Gary Ehnes.
She is the daughter of Rich and Lori Hollis.
The Argos have also signed Nicole Banach, another Great Falls High standout who was a 2008 Second Team All-State catcher and was voted Defensive Player of the Year. Banach is also a member of the National Honor Society and joins the Argo softball who are ranked 26th in the country for the highest grade point average in 2008.
Nicole plans to pursue degrees in Criminal Justice and Psychology while attending the University of Great Falls for the 2009-10 season.
“Nicole is a great catcher who has great fundamentals and speed. It is impressive to have a solid catcher that hits well, “said Ehnes. “These two Great Falls High student athletes will be great additions and potentially impact players to the future of our program.”
03/11/2009
TUCSON, AZ – March 11, 2009 – The University of Great Falls softball team fell twice on their final day at the Tucson Invitational Games. Great Falls fell 7-3 to St. Ambrose University (IA) and then to Aquinas College (MI) 6-2. The Argos played 10 games in six days at the tournament in Arizona.
Saint Ambrose University got things started right away by scoring four runs in the first followed by one run apiece in the second, fifth and sixth innings while the University of Great Falls scored all three of their runs in the bottom of the seventh as they could not rally in the final inning. St. Ambrose out-hit Great Falls 8-5. Sam Schultz (SR, Libby, MT), Jennifer Stewart (SO, Plains, MT) and Lindsay Cline (SO, Helena, MT) each scored off RBI’s by Desiree Clarke (FR, Whitefish, MT) and Alexandra Davis (SO, Laguna Hills, CA) in the final inning. Lindsay Cline and Sarah DeVore (JR, Hardin, MT) each shared pitching duties for the Argos and struck out five batters and allowed 8 hits between them.
In the second game, Aquinas College grabbed a 5-0 lead until the bottom of the sixth inning when the Argos added a run. Both teams would add a run in the final inning as Aquinas College topped the Argos 6-2. Sam Schultz led the Argos with a triple and went 2-for-4 while Micaela Kurth (FR, Meridian, ID) ended the contest by going 2-for-3 including a double. Ashley Koepke (SO, Cut Bank, MT) had 1 RBI for the University of Great Falls. Meanwhile, Aquinas College had 7 hits and 6 RBI’s on the day. Sarah DeVore pitched a full game after being on the mound for two innings in the first game and had 7 strikeouts on 31 at-bats.
Click here to view season stats for the University of Great Falls.
The Lady Argos are now 5-5 on the season while St. Ambrose University goes to 1-0 and Aquinas University goes to 6-3.
03/10/2009
TUCSON, AZ – March 10, 2009 – The University of Great Falls softball team picked up their second consecutive win as well as their second victory over Calumet College of St. Joseph at the Tucson Invitational Games as they blanked the Crimson Wave 15-0 in 5 innings on Tuesday afternoon.
The Argos offense scored quickly and often as they registered seven runs in the first two innings followed by eight more in the third and fourth innings on 17 hits. The Calumet College offense had two hits on the afternoon.
Sam Schultz (SR, Libby, MT) and Jenna Rosenberg (JR, Othello, WA) led the offense for Great Falls by each connecting on three of their four at-bats along with 2 RBI’s. Desiree Clarke (FR, Whitefish, MT) scored two runs on 3 hits for the Argos while Lindsay Cline (SO, Helena, MT) drove in 6 runs and went 2-for-3 including two home runs. Stacy Gray (FR, Spokane, WA) and Jenna Rosenberg each had doubles. The University of Great Falls used three pitchers including starter Sarah DeVore (JR, Hardin, MT) who recorded four strikeouts while facing 10 batters in three innings of work while Lindsay Cline and Casey Olson (FR, Valleyford, WA) each pitched one inning and one strikeout apiece.
Click here to view season stats for the University of Great Falls.
The Lady Argos are now 5-3 at the Tucson Tournament while Calumet College of St. Joseph’s goes to 2-6.
03/09/2009
TUCSON, AZ – March 9, 2009 – The University of Great Falls softball team split both of their games on Monday morning with a 2-0 setback to Robert Morris College (IL) but rebounded in their second game with a 14-1 romp over Trinity International University (IL) at the Tucson Invitational Games.
Robert Morris College scored two runs in the bottom of the first inning and held the Argos scoreless over the next six innings to pick up a 2-0 victory. Jenna Rosenberg (JR, Othello, WA) and Alexandra Davis (SO, Laguna Hills, CA) accounted for four of Great Falls’ six hits in their first game of the day. Lindsay Cline (SO, Helena, MT) and Micaela Kurth (FR, Meridian, ID) had the other two hits. Robert Morris College needed just three total hits to get by the Argos. The University of Great Falls committed four errors. Cline, who has appeared in six of the seven games this season, struck out three batters.
After being held scoreless in their first game of the day, the Argos scored 14 runs on 17 hits against Trinity International University in the second game. The Argos quickly held an 11-0 advantage after two innings including seven runs in the second inning. Trinity International scored their lone run in the bottom of the third. The Argo defense held Trinity International to four hits. Sam Schultz (SR, Libby, MT), Suzie Etsell (SO, Chestermere, AB), Alexandra Davis, and Ashley Koepke (SO, Cut Bank, MT) combined for nine of the Argos 13 RBI’s. Samantha Stevens (SO, Great Falls, MT) went 3-for-3 including a double and a stolen base. Sarah DeVore (JR, Hardin, MT) pitched the first four innings struck out two batters and allowed 3 hits and a run.
Click here to view season stats for the University of Great Falls.
The Lady Argos are now 4-3 on the season while Robert Morris College improves to 3-1 and Trinity International University goes to 1-5.
03/08/2009
TUCSON, AZ – March 8, 2009 – The University of Great Falls softball team picked up their third win in five games at the Tucson Invitational Games on Sunday night as they soundly defeated Calumet College of St. Joseph of Indiana 19-8.
The University of Great Falls wasted no time in scoring runs in their only game against the Crimson Wave by scoring four runs in the bottom of the first and after two complete inning Great Falls had a 10-0 advantage over Calumet College. Calumet College found the scoreboard by adding three runs in the third but the Argos scored multiple times in each of their four innings to pick up their third victory at the Tucson Tournament.
Lindsay Cline (SO, Helena, MT) went 2-for-2, had 3 RBI’s and a home run in the evening contest for Great Falls. Jennifer Stewart (SO, Plains, MT) went 2-for-3 and drove home three runs while Jenna Rosenberg (JR, Othello, WA) had three hits on the night and crossed home plate three times. The University of Great Falls finished with 20 hits while Calumet College had just six hits. The Argos relied on solid pitching from starter Casey Olson (FR, Valleyford, WA) and reliever Lindsay Cline who combined for five strikeouts as they faced 24 batters. Both teams also had 4 errors apiece.
Click here to view season stats for the University of Great Falls.
The Lady Argos are now 3-2 on the season while Calumet College of St. Joseph’s goes to 0-4.
03/07/2009
TUCSON, AZ – March 7, 2009 – The University of Great Falls softball team tried to improve to 4-0 at the Tucson Invitational Games on Saturday but Madonna University (MI) and the College of St. Mary’s (NE) stood in their way. Madonna University defeated the University of Great Falls 5-2 while the College of St. Mary’s needed only two runs to get the win over the Argos in the second game. The Argos combined for nine errors in both games.
The University of Great Falls had a 1-0 advantage in the second inning in their first game of the day against Madonna University. Madonna University tied the contest at 1-1 in the third inning and scored three runs in the fourth inning. Great Falls’ Alexandra Davis (SO, Laguna Hills, CA) connected on a solo home run in the top of the seventh inning as the Argos tried to rally but fell short from their four run deficit. Davis accounted for both RBI’s for Great Falls. Both teams combined for 7 hits and 6 RBI’s. Samantha Stevens (SO, Great Falls, MT) went 1-for-1 while Stacy Gray (FR, Spokane) went 1-for-3 for the Argos. Sarah DeVore (JR, Hardin, MT) pitched four innings while Lindsay Cline (SO, Helena, MT) relieved her for the final two innings.
In the second contest, the College of St. Mary’s added one run apiece in the third and the fourth innings to blank the Argos. Great Falls collected 6 hits on the day while the College of St. Mary’s managed only one hit as neither team picked up any RBI’s. Desiree Clarke (FR, Whitefish, MT) and Suzie Etsell (SO, Chestermere, AB) combined for four of the six hits for the University of Great Falls. Casey Olson (FR, Valleyford, WA) and Lindsay Cline both made appearances on the mound for the Argos.
Click here to view stats of both games for University of Great Falls.
The Lady Argos are now 2-2 on the season while Madonna University goes to 10-2 and College of St. Mary’s goes to 1-3.
03/06/2009
TUCSON, AZ – March 6, 2009 – The University of Great Falls softball team opened up their third season by winning two games at the 2009 Tucson Invitational Games in Arizona on Friday. The Argos blanked Siena Heights University (MI) 7-0 in their first game of the season and followed that contest by edging Viterbo University (WI) 6-5 in 7 innings.
During the first game against Siena Heights University, the Argos wasted little time in getting on the scoreboard in the first inning by scoring two runs. The score would remain 2-0 until the bottom of the fifth inning when they would tack on three more runs to take a commanding 5-0 lead. Great Falls would add two more runs in the sixth to shutout the Saints. The University of Great Falls out-hit Siena Heights 13-4 as Suzie Etsell (SO, Chestermere, AB) went 3-for-3 and Sam Schultz (SR, Libby, MT) connected on three of her four at-bats including a home run. Schultz also had three of the Argos seven RBI’s. Sarah DeVore (JR, Hardin, MT) was the winning pitcher for Great Falls as she pitched 6 innings and had two strikeouts. Great Falls had no errors in their season opener.
Great Falls battled Viterbo University in the second game of the doubleheader and both teams went scoreless in the first inning before the Argos added a run in the bottom of the second. The V-Hawks would tie it in the third inning with a single. After the Argos led 2-1 after three innings, the V-Hawks took their first lead by bringing home two V-Hawks in the fifth inning but the Argos would not trail for long as they would bring home a runner to tie it up 3-3. The game would get very exciting in the seventh inning as the University of Great Falls gave up 2 runs at the top of the seventh inning but the University of Great Falls brought three runners home in the bottom of the inning to secure their second victory (6-5). Desiree Clarke (FR, Whitefish, MT) added the game winning RBI to bring home the third run of the inning. Sam Schultz, Lindsay Cline (SO, Helena, MT), Alexandra Davis (SO, Laguna Hills, CA) and Desiree Clarke each went 2-for-4. Lindsay Cline pitched all 7 innings for the University of Great Falls and struck out six of the 27 batters she faced in the nightcap. The Argos had 12 hits while giving up only 6 to Viterbo University.
Click here to view stats of both games for University of Great Falls.
The Lady Argos are now 2-0 on the season while Siena Heights University goes to 3-8 and Viterbo University goes to 0-7.
7/15/2008
GREAT FALLS, Mont., July 15, 2008 — University of Great Falls women’s softball coach Gary Ehnes has announced the signing of Jessica Bequette from Hermiston, Oregon, Ashley Densmore from Vancouver, Washington and Ashten Colvin from Helena, Montana to NAIA/Frontier Conference Letters of Intent.
Jessica Bequette is a transfer from Blue Mountain Community College in Pendleton, Oregon where she played for her father, Tom for two years. She was an NWAC (Northwest Athletic Association of Community Colleges) All-League catcher, team captain during the 2007-2008 season, and a two-time Most Valuable Player for the Timberwolves.
The future Education major hopes to become a teacher or athletic administrator. "The reason I chose University of Great Falls was because of their welcoming staff and community. I like that everyone at the college is friendly and I fell in love with the town of Great Falls. I also like that the softball program is competitive but puts academics first," said Bequette.
"Jess brings a solid bat and her catching experience will be invaluable to our young team, noted coach Ehnes. Jessica had 13 pickoffs at first base last season and will give us solid play behind the plate.”
Ashley Densmore, also from Blue Mountain Community College, is also joining the Argo program. Ashley’s 62 mile-per-hour fastball helped her achieve an ERA of 1.65 last season as she was named her team’s Most Valuable Pitcher. The Vancouver, Washington native earned NWAC All-League honors as a pitcher and had 102 strikeouts in 118 innings. She plans to study Biology and has aspirations of going into the medical field.
“I chose the University of Great Falls after I had a tour of the school. I was so very impressed by the low number of students per class room and the very concerned and kind teachers. But the most exciting part for me from an athletes eye was the workout room, the gym, and all of the great equipment that I was shown. I can’t wait to get started at UGF,” said Densmore.
Coach Ehnes see tremendous potential for Densmore to make an immediate contribution on the pitching rubber. "Ashley is a seasoned pitcher with three good pitches and we hope to improve her speed to 64 miles per hour. We’re confident Ashley can help us achieve our team goals of earning a post season berth,” said Ehnes.
Ashten Colvin comes to the University of Great Falls from Helena Capital High School where she had a successful career in the outfield. The Honor Roll student will major in Education and plans to be a teacher.
"I am thrilled to become a member of the UGF community, I love the at home atmosphere and the willingness of my teammates to help me out in whatever way possible. The University of Great Falls is a great fit for me," said Colvin on her softball signing at the University of Great Falls.
"Ashten has good speed and a strong determination to be a collegiate softball player which makes her a great fit for the Argo softball team," stated Ehnes.
5/21/2008
KANSAS CITY, MO — May 21, 2008 — The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) announced the 277 softball student-athletes that have been named 2008 Daktronics-NAIA Scholar Athletes.
University of Great Falls’ Erica McAlmond, a senior pitcher/first baseman from Helena, Montana, was one of the students recognized by the NAIA for this honor. Each student-athlete that received this recognition was nominated by the head coach of each institution and they had to maintain at least a grade point average (GPA) of 3.5 and had to be at least a junior academically to qualify.
McAlmond led the Lady Argos with 21 RBI’s, 19 strikeouts and connected on three home runs this season for coach Gary Ehnes’ squad. The former Helena Capital prep star also had 37 hits, 5 doubles and a triple for Great Falls.
The Lady Argos finished up their second season of competition with a 14-17 overall record.
Please click here to see Erica’s statistics from the past two seasons.
For a complete list of all 277 student-athletes that have been named to the Daktronics-NAIA Softball Scholars, please click here (PDF Format).
5/9/2008
GREAT FALLS, MT —May 9, 2008 — The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) announced the All-Region 1 Softball team on Friday (May 9, 2008) and one Lady Argo student-athlete was selected to the team.
Jo Bailey, a senior infielder from Great Falls, Montana, was one of eighteen student-athletes in the region who has been recognized by the NAIA regional coaches and was selected to the All-Region team.
Bailey led the Lady Argos in hits with 43 and had four stolen bases this season. She was ranked No. 19 in NAIA Division I Softball with a slugging percentage of 0.786. The former C.M.R. High standout also had 22 RBI’s, 8 triples and 8 home runs.
This year’s Region I Player and Pitcher of the Year went to the College of Idaho’s Katie Zillner. The senior from Emmett, Idaho had a 15-7 record for the Coyotes with a 1.41 ERA and 220 strikeouts. She also batted .343 including five doubles, two home runs and 23 runs scored.
Oregon Institute of Technology Head Coach Greg Stewart was the Region 1 Coach of the Year as his team compiled a 34-12 record (20th in the NAIA) and won the Cascade Conference’s regular season title. He also took home his fourth conference Coach of the Year award earlier this week.
The Lady Argos finished up their second season of competition with a 14-17 overall record.