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Portland State University Athletics

PORTLAND STATE VIKINGS
Becca Bliss 2012
Scott Larson
Becca Bliss drove in PSU's first run in the third inning.

Softball Ryan Borde

Vikings Defeat Sac State, 2-1, For Third Straight Victory



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MORAGA, Calif. – Anna Bertrand threw a complete game and Crysta Conn drove in the winning run in the top of the eighth to lift Portland State past Sacramento State, 2-1, on Saturday at the PCSC Crossover Tournament.

The Vikings won their third straight game to even their record at 6-6, while the Hornets fell to 5-4.

In a tight ball game, it was the Vikings who made several clutch plays to pull out the victory. In the third inning, Jenna Krogh hit a one-out triple and following a groundout, Becca Bliss hit a dribbler on the infield and slid head first just before Sac State first baseman Alyssa Nakken dove to the bag. Krogh scored on the play and from there Bertrand continued to keep the Hornets' offense in check.

Portland State wasted several opportunities to extend its lead, leaving a pair of runners on in the fifth and wasting a leadoff double by Karmen Holladay in the sixth. It almost came back to cost them the win after the Hornets managed to tie the game up in the bottom of the seventh.

After Bertrand got Kelli Frye to groundout to start the frame, the Hornets hit back-to-back singles. Another groundout advanced both runners, before Yesenia Alcala tied the score with an infield single.

In the eighth, Brittany Hendrickson was placed at second base to start the inning due to the international tie breaker rule. Alexa Morales moved her over with a sacrifice bunt, before Conn drove her in with a single to center field.

The Hornets threatened again in their half of the eighth, putting runners on second and third with no outs. But Bertrand stepped up, sitting down the next three Sac State hitters.

"Anna pitched a great game, especially in the eighth inning," said PSU Head Coach Tobin Echo-Hawk. "They had runners in scoring position with no outs there in the eighth and for her to get out of the inning with no runs scored just shows a lot about her and what she is capable of."

Bertrand improved to 5-2 after scattering six hits and striking out seven. She didn't walk a single batter over her eight innings of work.

Reliever Shelby Voelz (0-1) took the loss for the Hornets. In three innings, Voelz allowed two hits and the winning run in the eighth.

Krogh led the Vikings' seven-hit attack with her triple and a single in the seventh. Conn also had a pair of hits for PSU.

The Vikings close out their trip to Saint Mary's by playing the host Gaels at 12:30 p.m. and Sac State again at 2:30 p.m.

NOTES: Carly McEachran extended her hitting streak to seven games for PSU ... Holladay hit her team leading fourth double ... Conn was hit by a pitch in the sixth and now has been hit by a pitch five times this year. That ties her for second most in a single season on the Park Blocks and her 10 over her two years also ties her for second in the career record book.
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