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Game Two Box Score (PDF)  |  Game Two Box Score (HTML)

GREELEY, Colo. – Carly McEachran tallied five hits and Becca Bliss had a career day at the plate to help Portland State earn a doubleheader split at Northern Colorado on Saturday in Pacific Coast Softball Conference action.

The Bears used a pair of late home runs to rally for the 3-2 victory in the opener, ending the Vikings 10-game winning streak. But Portland State came right back to run rule UNC, picking up a 11-2 win in five innings.

Portland State (24-16) and Northern Colorado (14-32) remain tied for first in the PCSC Mountain Division at 10-4. The two teams close out the league series with another doubleheader tomorrow, starting at 11 a.m. PT.

In game one, Portland State got on the board first when Crysta Conn singled home Jenna Krogh in the third inning. The Vikings made it 2-0 in the next frame when they executed a double steal to perfection, allowing Bliss to score from third.

Vikings starter Nichole Latham held the Bears to just three hits over the first five innings, before Kelli Henderson singled to lead off the sixth and Megan Wilkinson followed with a two-run home run to center field to tie the game up. Latham bounced back to sit down the final three batters of the frame and then got the first two outs of the seventh. But Kailee Vessey belted a walkoff homer to right center, giving the Bears the win.

The Vikings outhit the Bears, 9-6, but stranded 10 runners. They loaded the bases with one out in the second, but came up empty, then left two on base in the sixth and seventh innings.

McEachran, Krogh and Bliss each had two hits to pace the PSU offense. Latham fell to 13-8 with the loss. She walked two and struck out two.

Henderson got the win in the circle, walking three and striking out six to improve to 10-15 in a complete-game effort.

Bliss and McEachran led the charge in the second game, driving in combined four runs and registering four hits.

Portland State capitalized on two early errors by the Bears, jumping out to a 3-0 lead through three innings of play. Conn hit a two-out triple in the first, plating a pair of runners, then she put the Vikings up 3-0 in the third when she reached on a UNC fielding error, which allowed McEachran to come in from third base.

Bliss helped the Vikings break the game open with her first career home run in the next inning, blasting a two-run shot to right. McEachran followed with her team-leading fifth homer, giving Portland State a 6-0 advantage.

Alex Neeley gave Northern Colorado some momentum with a two-run homer in the bottom half of the inning, but Portland State scored five runs in the fifth to put the game out of reach.

"I'm proud of the girls for coming back the way they did in the second game," said Portland State Head Coach Tobin Echo-Hawk. "We are going to have to battle tomorrow and show up for both games."

McEachran hit 3-for-4 and scored twice from her leadoff spot, Conn drove in a pair of runs and recorded two hits, and Bliss registered a career-high three RBIs. Sadie Lopez also drove in two for the Viks during their five-run fifth inning.

Anna Bertrand won her fourth straight decision for PSU, moving her record to 10-8. In five innings, the sophomore righty walked six, but only gave up three hits while striking out one.

Jamie Juelfs (4-13) worked the first four innings for UNC, allowing all 11 runs, six of which were earned, on seven hits and three walks.

NOTES: McEachran finished the day 5-for-6 ... Bliss, Conn and Krogh each had three hits in the doubleheader ... PSU hit .304. UNC hit .205 ... Latham recorded her 400th career strikeout in game one. She ranks fifth all-time at PSU ... Conn has driven in a run in four straight games. She is batting .500 (6-for-12) with eight RBIs over that span ... McEachran raised her batting average in PCSC play to a team-best .476. She also leads the team with 20 hits and 12 runs batted in over 14 conference games ... Brandi Campos drew a bases loaded pinch-hit walk in the fifth inning of game two for the Viks. Bliss also drove in a run with an RBI groundout ... both games tomorrow can be heard on GoViks.com, with Teri Mariani calling the action.