Box Score 1 | Box Score 2
Game 2 Box Score - PDF | HTML
Game 3 Box Score - PDF | HTML

POCATELLO, Idaho – The Portland State softball team dropped its first Big Sky Conference series of the year Sunday when it dropped a pair of extra inning affairs to Idaho State. Idaho State took the second game of the series 16-13 in the 10th inning; the game began on Saturday but was suspended due to darkness and finished Sunday. Idaho State won the third game and the series with a 6-4 walk-off home run in the bottom of the ninth. All three games in the series went to extra innings.

Both Idaho State wins in the series were accomplished with walk-off home runs in extra-innings. The Vikings and Bengals are now tied atop the Big Sky standings with 9-3 records and two conference weekends remaining.

Game two of the series started Saturday night with the Vikings jumping out to an early 5-0 lead with one run in the first and two runs each in the second and third innings. Becca Bliss doubled and scored in each of the first two innings.

The Bengals quickly cut into the lead with three runs in the bottom of the third. The Vikings responded with two more in the top of the fourth to go up 7-3.

Idaho State tied the game with four runs in the bottom of the fourth off back-to-back home runs. A three-run shot followed by a solo shot tied it at 7-7.

The Vikings again went up by five with three runs in the fifth and two more in the sixth to take a 12-7 lead needing just six outs for the win. Again, the Bengals tied the game with five runs in the bottom of the sixth capped by a three-run triple. 

Both teams remained scoreless over the next two innings before the game was suspended due to darkness following the bottom of the eighth. The game resumed Sunday morning with the Vikings picking up an unearned run to take a 13-12 lead heading to the bottom of the ninth.

A leadoff walk surrendered by PSU pitcher Anna Bertrand came around to tie the game at 13 after a sacrifice bunt moved the runner to second before coming in on a single to left field.

Idaho State then won it in walk-off fashion with a three-run home run in the bottom of the 10th to win the game 16-13.

Bertrand threw 7 1/3 innings allowing 13 runs, 12 earned, on 13 hits. She walked four, struck out six and surrendered three home runs in the loss.

Idaho State seemed to pick up where it left off in the bottom of the first inning of game three as a two-run home run gave the Bengals an early 2-0 lead.

Portland State tied the game at 2-2 when Crysta Conn hit her second home run of the season to drive in Brittany Hendrickson who led off the inning with an infield single.

Bertrand settled down, allowing just one base runner over the second, third, and fourth innings combined.  This quiet spell ended with a solo home run to give Idaho State a 3-2 lead.

Carly McEachran hit her team-best eighth home run of the season in the top of the sixth, driving in Aubrey Nitschelm and giving the Vikings their first lead of the game at 4-3.

A solo home run in the bottom of the seventh for Idaho State tied the game forcing the third game in a row into extra-innings.

The Vikings went scoreless in the eighth and ninth innings before the Bengals' fourth home run off Bertrand in the game, this time a two-run shot, won it for Idaho State 6-4.

Bertrand threw every inning for the Vikings, allowing six earned runs on nine hits, including four home runs. She walked three and struck out just one. The pair of losses on the day dropped her season record to 13-14.

The Vikings will travel to Seattle University Wednesday for a non-conference doubleheader with the Redhawks. First pitch of game one is slated for 2 p.m. PDT.

NOTES: All three games of the series went to extra innings … Portland State is now 1-4 in extra-inning games this season … Sadie Lopez went hit .455 (5-for-11) with two runs scored, three doubles, and two RBIs in the series.