Box Score

MORAGA, Calif. - Becca Bliss and Brittany Hendrickson both blasted home runs as the Vikings took the first game of the Pacific Coast Softball Conference Championship Series by a score of 6-1 over Saint Mary's College of California Friday afternoon in Moraga, Calif.
 
The Vikings (26-23 overall) and Gaels (26-22) were tied at 1-1 going into the top of the sixth when the Vikings put four runs on the board, three off the bat off Bliss, as she hit her first home run of the year, to take a 5-1 lead. Hendrickson added a solo shot in the seventh to give the Vikings the final 6-1 victory.
 
The Vikings picked up a run in the top of the inning on a Karmen Holladay RBI single to left-center driving in Carly McEachran from second base. Holladay finished the day 2-for-4 with the RBI.
 
With a one-run lead headed to the bottom of the first, junior ace Anna Bertrand headed to the circle. The eight-time PCSC Mountain Pitcher of the Week in 2012 stranded two Gaels on base in the first inning as the first two batters reached. 
 
Saint Mary's got on the board with a run in the bottom of the third inning on a two-out RBI single to center scoring a runner from third. 
 
The leadoff hitter for the Gaels walked to start the fourth and then moved to second on Bertrand's second illegal pitch of the season. The next batter then lined the ball back at Bertrand in the circle who gloved it and doubled the runner off second. She then struck out the next batter to get out of the fourth. 
 
The Vikings ended the Gael's half of the sixth with another line out double play. The batter lined out to McEachran at second who got the runner at first to end the inning. McEachran went 2-for-2 with a runs scored and a walk.
 
Holladay reached on a fielding error by the third baseman to lead off the Vikings' sixth. Holladay was lifted for Aubrey Nitschelm who came in as a pinch runner. After Crysta Conn moved Nitschelm to second on a sacrifice bunt, Hendrickson pinch hit and drew a walk.
 
Maggie Sholian, pinch hitting for Kayla Norrie, lined a single to left on a 2-2 count scoring Nitschelm from second who made a tremendous slide, diving head first into home, while avoiding both the tag and a bat left near the plate. On the play, Hendrickson moved to second. Norrie then re-entered the game running at first.
 
Bliss then homered to right field clearing the bases and giving the Vikings a 5-1 lead. After Bertrand shut down the Gaels in the sixth, Hendrickson blasted her second home run of the season deep over the right field fence to give the Vikings a 6-1 lead. 
 
Bertrand then closed out the game picking up her 21st win moving to 21-11 on the season. She threw a complete game for the 23rd time this season.
 
The Vikings and Gaels will do it again tomorrow with the second game of the series slated to start at 12:00 p.m. PDT. A game three, if necessary, will be played following game two.