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

BOISE, Idaho – The Portland State softball team dropped both ends of a doubleheader on its first day at the SpringHill Suites Invitational in Boise, Idaho. The Vikings fell to the Utah State Aggies 6-5 in eight innings before falling to host Boise State 2-1.

Sadie Lopez hit .667 on the day going 4-for-6 with a double and a RBI. Brittany Hendrickson, Alexa Morales and Crysta Conn each recorded multiple hits on the day.

Game 1 – Utah State (3-20) 6, Portland State (6-18) 5 – 8 Innings

The Vikings held a 5-0 lead and were just three outs away from a win before the Aggie scored five runs in the bottom of the seventh and one more in the bottom of the eighth to win 6-5.

Portland State got on the board with two runs in the top of the fifth inning. Conn led off the inning and reached after being hit by a pitch. Two batters later she was moved to second when Aubrey Nitschelm singled through the right side. Lopez then reached on an infield single to second base loading the bases.

Carly McEachran then drove in the first run of the day for the Vikings with a single to center scoring Conn. With the bases still loaded, Becca Bliss worked a nine-pitch walk scoring Nitschelm. Unfortunately that was all the Vikings would get in the fifth as the next two batters hit into outs.

PSU then added two more runs in the top of the sixth. Conn doubled to right center with one out in the sixth and advanced to third on the throw. She was then driven in by Morales who singled to right center. Morales was pinch ran for by Brianna Celaya who swiped her first bag of the year by stealing second. Two batters later, Lopez doubled in Celaya and the Vikings led 4-0 through six innings.

The Vikings added another run in the seventh to take a 5-0 lead after Hendrickson drove in Becca Bliss who led off the inning with a double.

Karyn Wright started the game for the Vikings and threw six scoreless innings giving up just four hits before Melissa Masters came in to pitch the bottom of the seventh.

Masters gave up a solo home run to the first batter she saw in the seventh. The next batter grounded out to second before the next three reached loading the bases with one out and the Aggies down by four.

Wright then reentered the game with the bases loaded and one out. She gave up a two-run double that started a string of five consecutive hits for the Aggies that would eventually score four more runs and tie the game at 5-5 sending it into extra innings. Four of the five runs in the inning were credited to Masters who recorded just one out in the inning.

For the first time this season the Vikings played an extra-inning game where the international tiebreaker rule was enforced placing a runner at second to start the inning. Lauran Bliss was placed at second and was moved to third on a Conn sacrifice bunt. Morales came up next and fouled out to the third baseman for the second out. Lauran Bliss was caught off the bag and was tagged out turning the play into an inning-ending double play.

Utah State placed a runner on second to start the bottom of the eighth. The runner was quickly moved to third on a sacrifice bunt. The next Aggie walked and then stole second putting runners on second and third with one out. The next batter grounded out to third. The Aggies scored the winning run after the next batter reached on a PSU error allowing the runner from third to score. 

Wright threw 7 1/3 innings for the Vikings allowing just one earned run but was credited with the loss falling to 1-6 on the season.

Shelbi Tyteca was the pitcher of record for the Aggies and improved to 2-1 with the win. She threw 3 2/3 innings allowing three earned runs on six hits.

Game 2 – Boise State (11-15) 2 – Portland State (6-19) 1

Boise State scored two unearned runs in the bottom of the third inning to take an early 2-0 lead in the second game of the day for the Vikings. The lead off hitter walked and was moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. The next batter reached on a PSU error putting runners on first and second. A single loaded the bases with one out.

Portland State starting pitcher Anna Bertrand then got the next batter to strike out looking for the second out. The next Bronco up singled up the middle driving in two. The Vikings got one of the trailing runners in a run down for the third out but the damage was already done and the Broncos led 2-0.

Bertrand sat down nine of the next 11 Broncos throwing a complete game. She did not allow an earned run and gave up just two hits in the game while walking three and striking out seven. She fell to 3-11 on the season with the loss.

The Vikings picked up a run in the top of the sixth when Hendrickson drove in Becca Bliss with a double to right center. That would be all the scoring the Vikings would do as they lost 2-1. Portland State left five runners in scoring position in the game.

Rebecca Patton pitched a complete game for the Broncos allowing one earned run on three hits. She walked two and struck out for improving to 6-6 with the win.

The Vikings have two more games at the SpringHill Suites Invitational Sunday when they again take on Utah State and Boise State. First pitches are slated for 9 a.m. PT and 1 p.m. PT respectively.

NOTES: Sadie Lopez hit .667 for the day going 4-for-6 with a double and a RBI … Four Vikings recoreded multiple hits on the day while two recorded two runs each … Anna Bertrand and Karyn Wright each had ERAs under 1.00 on the day and each picked up a loss.