Box Score 1 | Box Score 2
Game 1 Box Score - PDF | HTML
Game 2 Box Score - PDF | HTML

TUCSON, Ariz. – The Vikings dropped a pair of games Friday at the Wildcat Invitational hosted by the University of Arizona at Hillenbrand Stadium in Tucson, Ariz. Portland State fell to UC Riverside 1-0 in its tournament opener before falling to Boston U 8-3.

Sadie Lopez went 3-for-4 on the day with a double and a solo home run to lead the Vikings. Becca Bliss and Crysta Conn each had two hits on the day.

Game 1 – UC Riverside (6-9) 1, Portland State (4-12) 0

Dionne Anderson led off the bottom of the first for the Highlanders with a double to left field. She was later moved to third on a ground out. A walk put runners on the corners with two outs but Vikings' starter Anna Bertrand got the next batter to line out to center field to end the inning.

Bertrand threw four scoreless innings for the Vikings before UC Riverside was able to manufacture a run in the bottom of the fifth. The Highlanders led off the inning with a double. The next batter laid down a sacrifice bunt moving the runner to third. After Bertrand struck out the next batter, UC Riverside took a 1-0 lead on a single back up the middle by Alexis Pickett. Pickett was later thrown out trying to steal second to end the inning but the damage was done.

Portland State stranded runners in scoring position in the first and third innings after not being able to get a timely hit to plate a run. The Vikings had the bases loaded and one out in the top of the fifth but a strikeout and a ground out to third ended the Vikings best scoring opportunity.

PSU had one runner on in each of the final three innings but did not get past second base dropping the first game of the doubleheader 1-0.

Bertrand threw a complete game and allowed just one earned run on five hits. She struck out three and walked just one but was tabbed with the loss.

Alyssa Razo improved to 4-4 on the season with the complete game shutout against the Vikings. She allowed four hits, struck out five while walking just two.

Game 2 – Boston University (2-4) 8, Portland State (4-13) 3

After a quick turnaround, freshman Candice Orozco got the Vikings on the board in their second game of the day against Boston University with a solo home run with two outs in the bottom of the second. It was Orozco's first career home run as a Viking.

The one-run lead did not last as the Terriers plated two runs in the top of the third on a RBI triple and a RBI ground out.

Senior Sadie Lopez joined the Vikings' home run club with her first long ball of the season in the bottom of the third tying the game at 2-2.

Boston retook the lead with a run in the top of the fourth before Lopez again tied it for the Vikings. This time she did it with a double to right center scoring Crysta Conn from second. Lopez finished the game going 3-for-3 with a double, home run, run scored, and a run batted in.

The Terriers took the lead for the third time in the game with a single run in the top of the sixth to lead 4-3 going to the bottom of the sixth.
With the Vikings unable to tie the game in the bottom of the sixth, the Terriers plated four more runs, one earned, giving Boston the final 8-3 advantage.

Karyn Wright threw 6 1/3 innings for the Vikings giving up eight runs, five earned on eight hits while walking four and striking out four. She fell to 1-4 on the season after being credited with the loss.

Whitney Tuthill improved to 2-2 throwing a complete game allowing three earned runs on eight hits. She struck out three and walked one to pick up the win.

The Vikings play another doubleheader tomorrow starting with UC Riverside at 12 p.m. PT. They then play No. 17 Arizona at 5 p.m. PT.

NOTES: Sadie Lopez and Candice Orozco both hit their first home runs of the season against Boston University … Orozco's home run was her first career Portland State home run … Lopez went 3-for-4 with a double, home run, run scored, and two RBIs on the day.