Box Score (HTML)

LAS VEGAS -- Anna Bertrand did all she could to keep a potent Brigham Young offense in check on Thursday afternoon. Trouble was, the Vikings own offense couldn't come up with a clutch hit at the right time, stranding 10 runners in a 4-1 loss to the Cougars in the opener of the Louisville Slugger Desert Classic at Eller Media Stadium.

Bertrand held the Cougars to three hits through the first five innings, but a bloop infield single started a four-run rally in the sixth inning that sent the Vikings to their second straight defeat.

In both the second and fourth innings, Portland State got a one-out hit, but failed to score. The Vikings also left runners on the corners in the fifth, before breaking through in the next frame.

With one out in the top of the sixth, Karmen Holladay laced a double to left field, and after a pop up, Brittany Hendrickson delivered an RBI-single to center field, plating pinch runner Jordan Goschie.

BYU wasted little time responding, though. JC Clayton led off by popping a ball up on the infield that the Vikings should have caught, but instead it fell for a single. Delaney Willard then promptly belted the first pitch she saw over the right field fence for her fourth home run of the season. The Cougars tacked on another run via a Stacie Toney RBI-double, then scored their final run on a PSU throwing error.  

Portland State didn't go down without a fight though, loading the bases after the first two batters grounded out and struck out. Becca Bliss drew a walk after facing a one-ball, two-strike count, before Jenna Krogh singled through the left side. With a 1-1 count on Carly McEachran, BYU coach Gordon Eakin went to his bullpen, summoning in freshman Caroline Umphlett. It didn't work as McEachran singled to load the bases. But, Umphlett needed just one pitch to get Holladay to ground out to end the game.

Bertrand dropped to 2-2 after allowing three earned runs, seven hits and two walks in a complete-game performance. The junior righty struck out five.

Holladay and Hendrickson each tallied two hits to pace the Vikings.

Hanna Howell (1-0) got the win for the Cougars, giving up six hits, one run and one walk with eight strikeouts over 6 2/3 innings. Umphlett earned the save.

Clayton, Toney and Willard all had two hits for BYU, which improved to 4-2.

The Vikings (2-4) are back in action tomorrow, taking on Hawai`i at 11:15 a.m. The game can be heard on GoViks.com and live stats will also be available.

NOTES: BYU leads the all-time series with PSU, 4-2 ... the Cougars defeated two ranked teams last weekend in Tempe, Ariz. ... BYU received votes in both top 25 polls this week ... a steady wind blowing in from left center made several fly balls hard to catch for both teams ... Holladay, who raised her team-best average to .412, registered her team-leading third multi-hit game. She has reached base safely in five consecutive games ... the game against BYU was played on UNLV's campus. PSU's final four games are in Henderson at Stephanie Lynn Craig Park.