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Postgame Quotes
TEMPE, Ariz. – Karmen Holladay picked the right time for her first hit as a Portland State Viking.
Holladay's bases-loaded single with no outs in the bottom of the eighth inning capped a three-run rally for the Vikings as they knocked off No. 16 BYU, 4-3, on Friday morning at the Kajikawa Classic.
The Vikings were getting no-hit going into their last turn at bat, but exploded for four hits and three runs to shock the Cougars.
The game went into extra innings tied at 1-1 and the eighth started under the international tie-breaker rule. BYU went in front in the top half of the inning on Jessica Fitu's two-run home run, her second of the game.
Portland State was coming off a 11-2, five-inning loss to Nebraska less than 24 hours earlier and with no hits through seven innings against BYU, things didn't look good for them going into their half of the eighth. That all changed quickly.
Meghan Lyons was placed at second to start the bottom of the inning and moved up to third on
Brandi Campos' single to shallow right center, which broke up Paige Affleck's no-hit bid.
Jenna Krogh followed with an infield bunt single to load the bases, before
Arielle Wiser plated Lyons with a sharp single to left field to bring PSU within one, 3-2. Then with the count at two balls and two strikes on
Lacey Holm, Fitu was called for catcher's interfernce when Holm swung and hit Fitu's glove. That brought in Campos to tie the score, setting the stage for Holladay, who laced a 1-0 pitch into right center to score Krogh for the game-winning run.
"I was just thinking to myself that I needed to relax and just be smooth. When I get into trouble is when I'm nervous and try too hard," said Holladay, who is a junior transfer from Oregon State."I have been waiting for that (first hit) these last two games and this time I just had the right mind set. It definitely felt good for my first hit to be a game-winner."
PSU Head Coach Tobin Echo-Hawk was quick to point out that Campos' single set the tone for the rally.
"We were just stting here talking about how hard it is to come back from a shot that is hit as hard as it was," said Echo-Hawk of Fitu's two-run homer. "I told
Brandi Campos after the game that it was her at-bat that set the tone for us to keep going. The girls talked about how awesome it was that we kept our spirits up and we kept working hard and didn't lose faith."
Fitu put the Cougars on the board first, with a solo shot to center field in the second inning.
Portland State tied it up with an unearned run in the bottom of the third. With one out, Krogh walked and then stole second. After a groundout, Holm hit a chopper back to Affleck, who threw wildly to first base, alliowing Krogh to come all the way around and score.
Nichole Latham (1-1) held a potent Cougars' offense to just six hits, allowing a pair of earned runs in a complete-game effort. The senior righty struck out four and walked just one.
"She did a great job bouncing back from yesterday," said Echo-Hawk. "Yesterday was a little rough on her. But it was the first game and she was a little tight. She came back, kept their hitters off balance and threw her type of game."
Affleck struck out five, walked five and gave up four hits and two earned runs in eight innings.
Fitu fiinished the game 3-for-4, with three RBIs and two runs scored for the Cougars, who fell to 0-3.
The Vikings evened their record at 1-1 and play Nevada later today at 4 p.m. PT. That game can be heard on GoViks.com, with live stats also available.
NOTES: PSU earned its first victory over a ranked team since defeating 19th-ranked Oregon, 4-1, on May 5, 2010. They now have at least one win over a ranked team in each of the past eight seasons ... Holm and Krogh are the only two Vikings to get a hit in each of the first two games this year ... BYU leads the all-time series with PSU, 3-2.