MORAGA, Calif. - Junior pitcher Anna Bertrand threw a complete game shutout and Brittany Hendrickson drove in the game winning run in the bottom of the sixth inning to give the Vikings a 1-0 and the Pacific Coast Softball Conference Championship Series victory, two games to none.
 
Bertrand gave up just three hits in seven innings pitched and struck out eight batters while not surrendering a walk to earn Most Outstanding Pitcher honors for the tournament. Hendrickson earned Most Outstanding Player honors after going 1-for-1 on Friday with a solo home run and then going 1-for-1 again on Saturday with the game-winning hit while walking twice.
 
With the win the Vikings earned the PCSC's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. The tournament selection show will be aired live on ESPNU Sunday evening at 7 p.m. PDT. The Vikings will be holding a selection show watch party at the downtown Portland Buffalo Wild Wings. Friends, family and fans of Vikings softball are encouraged to attend.
 
Alicia Fine led off the bottom of the sixth for the Vikings with her first hit of the weekend. She was then lifted for pinch runner Aubrey Nitschelm who was moved to second when Karmen Holladay dropped down her third sacrifice bunt of the year. Hendrickson then drove in the Nitschelm from second for the game winning RBI single.
 
Going to the top of the seventh, Kayla Norrie caught a foul ball against the net behind home plate for the first out of the inning. Sadie Lopez followed that up with a extraordinary diving catch in foul territory down the left field line for the second out. Bertrand then picked up her eighth strikeout of the game to secure the championship for the Vikings.
 
Bertrand gave up a hit and struck out two in each of the first three innings. The Gaels led off the third with a double to left field. After the double, the first extra-base hit against Bertrand in her last six appearances, Bertrand hit the next batter putting runners on first and second with no outs.
 
The Vikings thought they got the first out of the inning on a fielder's choice to Crysta Conn at third but the second illegal pitch call of the day against Bertrand moved the runners to second and third with no outs and sent the batter back to the plate. She then grounded out to Alicia Fine, who looked the runners back and got the batter at first. Bertrand then got back-to-back swinging strikeouts to end the inning.
 
Bertrand got her first 1-2-3 inning of the game in the bottom of the fourth after recording her seventh strikeout of the game and inducing two grounders to Conn at third.
 
Over the first four innings, the Vikings could not scratch out a hit but they did reach base on three walks, two by Hendrickson who started as the designated player. It was her first start since April 24 in the second game of a doubleheader against Oregon State.
 
With a swinging strikeout in the fourth, Bertrand recorded her 600th career strikeout at Portland State. She now stands three back of second place with 601 career strikeouts.
 
The Vikings picked up their first hit of the game on a Kayla Norrie single deep into the hole between third and short. After the next batter struck out, Becca bliss reached on a fielder's choice with Norrie being forced at second for the second out. Jenna Krogh then reached on an infield slap hit to the third baseman who could not hang onto the ball allowing it to roll around the infield with Bliss advancing all the way to third.
 
With runners on first and third and two outs, Krogh stole second moving both runners into scoring position with two outs. Carley McEachran then grounded out to the pitcher to end the Vikings chances in the bottom of the fifth.
 
The Vikings allowed a runner to reach with one out in the top of the sixth on an error. The next batter sacrificed the runner to second with a nice bunt picked up by Conn at third. Conn then ended the inning on a groundout.
 
With the game still scoreless going to the bottom of the sixth, Hendrickson drove in Nitschelm from second for the game winning run as Bertrand closed out the game in the top of the seventh to bring home the championship.
 
Fine, Norrie and Krogh all picked up hits in the game to go along with Hendrickson's game winning hit.
 
It is the second consecutive season that the Vikings have claimed the PCSC Championship Series title and their second trip to the NCAA Tournament. The Vikings will now wait and see which NCAA Tournament regional they will be sent to next weekend.