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


PORTLAND, Ore. – Despite a remarkable day in the circle by Anna Bertrand, in which the junior struck out a combined 19 batters over two complete games, first-place Portland State managed just a split of a doubleheader with last-place Idaho State on Friday at Erv Lind Stadium in Pacific Coast Softball Conference Mountain Division action.

While Bertrand was masterful all day long, giving up just one earned run and eight hits over 16 innings, the Vikings' offense struggled mightily, leaving a combined 20 runners on base. They left seven on in game one, but managed to pull out a 1-0 victory, before stranding 13 in a 3-2, nine-inning loss in the nightcap.

In the opener, the Vikings got the only run they would need in the bottom of the second, taking advantage of an Idaho State fielding error with the bases loaded. Alicia Fine led off with an infield single, Brittany Hendrickson walked and two batters later Kayla Norrie singled to right field. After a strikeout, Jenna Krogh lined a ball that was dropped by Bengals third baseman Gabby Lopez and Fine scored.

Idaho State threatened in the top of the first after a two-out walk and a single, but Bertrand escaped the jamb by striking out Vicky Galasso.

Bertrand scattered three hits with four walks and seven strikeouts. It was her fourth shutout of the year.

Amanda Fitzsimmons took the loss for the Bengals, falling to 3-7 in a complete-game performance. She struck out five and walked one.

Norrie led the Vikings' six-hit attack with a pair of singles, while Crysta Conn doubled.

PSU spotted the Bengals a 2-0 lead through half an inning of play in the second contest, as a throwing error extended the inning and led to one earned run and one unearned run.

In the fifth, the Vikings finally got on the scoreboard on Conn's sacrifice fly that scored Becca Bliss.

Down to what was then their final two outs in the seventh, Portland State managed to send the game into extra innings when Fine brought in Conn with a single through the left side. They had a chance to win it, but left the bases loaded after Haley Douglas got Hendrickson and Maggie Sholian to looked at called third strikes.

Idaho State (5-26, 2-4 PCSC) scored what proved to be the winning run in the top of the ninth, despite Bertrand sitting down the first two batters. After a walk and a Viking fielding error, Lopez singled in Courtney Darby from second base.

The Vikings got the tying run to third base with one out in their half of the ninth, but as was the case most of the day, they failed to deliver in crunch time.

Portland State left at least one runner on base in seven of the nine innings, and five times stranded at least two runners.

Bertrand (12-8) gave up five hits and just one earned run to go along with four walks and a season-high 12 Ks.

Fitzsimmons, who went 3-for-4 with a pair of doubles at the plate, earned the win after pitching the final two innings and not allowing a hit.

Despite the split, the Vikings (14-15) still hold a one-half game lead over Seattle (3-2) for first place in the Mountain Division with a 4-2 record. They host Idaho State for another doubleheader tomorrow starting at 12 p.m.

NOTES: Idaho State earned its first win over PSU since 1983. It was their first conference victory over the Vikings in 10 tries ... with their 1-0 victory in game one against the Bengals and their 1-0 win at Utah Valley in their last outing, Portland State won back-to-back league games by that score for the first time in history. It was also their first back-to-back 1-0 wins since their last two games of the 2008 season ... Bertrand registered her ninth career double-digit strikeout performance and the first since April 9, 2011, when she fanned 12 against Utah Valley ... Bertrand threw 120 pitches in game one and 164 in game two ... the Vikings have now played two extra inning games in PCSC play, the first time since 2009 that has happened. That year they played three ... Conn extended her school career record of hit by pitches to 16 after getting plunked leading off the ninth in game two ... Conn also took over first place in the record book with her eighth career sac fly ... game two lasted exactly three hours, making it Portland State's longest game in at least eight years of record keeping of game lengths.