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

Game 2 Box Score - PDF | HTML



PORTLAND – Senior Sadie Lopez hit a home run in both games of the Vikings' doubleheader sweep of Northern Colorado on a soggy day at Erv Lind Stadium. Portland State took game one 5-0 before winning game two 9-1 in five innings. Lopez went 4-for-5 with three runs scored, two home runs, and five runs batted in on the day to lead the Vikings. With the two wins the Vikings clinch their third straight Big Sky Conference series win.

                                                                     

Fellow senior Anna Bertrand threw all 12 innings on the day allowing just seven hits while walking four and striking out 13. She allowed one unearned run for a perfect 0.00 earned run average. The Bears hit just .175 off Bertrand. She picked up both wins on the day moving her career total to 66. She is just one win away from tying Mandy Hill's Portland State career record of 67.

 

Six Vikings recorded multiple hits on the day. Crysta Conn went 3-for-4 with a pair of runs scored, a double, and an RBI. Portland State hit .395 as a team on the day.

 

The Vikings extended their season-high winning streak to six games improving their record to 14-21 overall and 7-1 in Big Sky play. The Bears fell to 12-23-1 overall and 3-5 in conference play with the losses.

 

Game 1 – Portland State 5, Northern Colorado 0

 

The Vikings got on the board with one run in the bottom of the second inning. Brittany Hendrickson singled up the middle to lead off the inning. Conn then moved Hendrickson to third with a double that carried over the right fielders head with the aid of a stiff breeze. Alicia Fine then grounded out to the second baseman scoring Hendrickson from third who was off on contact. Northern Colorado got out of the inning with an inning ending double play.

 

After the first batter grounded out for the Bears in the top of the third, the next reached on a dropped third strike. The runner was quickly erased when the Vikings turned an inning ending double play of their own. Fine started the 6-4-3 double play.

 

The Vikings added an unearned run in the bottom of the fourth to go up by a score of 2-0.

 

Conn led off the bottom of the sixth with a walk. Two batters Brianna Celaya hit a shot to deep center field that jumped the fence for a ground-rule double moving Conn to third. The bounce was unlucky for the Vikings as Conn was already on her way home. Conn eventually came in when Aubrey Nitschelm hit a sacrifice fly, increasing the Vikings lead to 3-0.

 

Lopez made it 5-0 when she launched her second home run of the season to left field scoring Celaya. Lopez went 2-for-3 with a run scored and two RBIs in the game.

 

Bertrand dominated the Bears for a complete game shutout. She did not allow a runner past second base and only nine runners reached in the game. Bertrand allowed three hits while walking three and striking out eight.

 

Kelci Cheney picked up the loss for the Bears throwing six inning allowing five runs, four earned, on eight hits. She walked three and strikeout five. She fell to 8-7 with the loss.

 

Game 2 – Portland State 9, Northern Colorado 1 (5 Innings)

 

One big inning did in the Bears in game two of the doubleheader. After keeping the Vikings off balance through the first two innings Northern Colorado starting pitcher Megan Wilkinson gave up eight earned runs in the bottom of the third blowing the game wide open for Portland State.

 

Lopez led off the bottom of the third with a single to left field. Carly McEachran then sacrificed Lopez to second with a bunt down the third base line for the first out. Becca Bliss singled driving in Lopez from second. On the throw in from the outfield, an errant relay throw allowed Bliss to go to third. While Bliss was on her way to third the UNC catcher tracked down the ball and tried to throw Bliss out but ended up throwing a wet ball into left field. Bliss was able to score on the play after advancing twice on errors.

 

After Lauran Bliss walked, Brittany Hendrickson drilled a shot right back up the middle that ricocheted off the pitcher for a single moving L. Bliss to second. Conn then singled to left scoring L. Bliss and moving Hendrickson to third. Alicia Fine then singled to left to load the bases for Alexa Morales. Morales walked on four straight pitches bringing in Hendrickson from third.

 

Nitschelm reached on a fielder's choice scoring Conn but Morales was out at second for the second out of the inning. Lopez then came up and blasted her second home run of the day into the trees beyond the left center fence clearing the bases and giving the Vikings an 8-0 lead. It was Lopez's second hit and second run scored of the inning.

 

After Bertrand got a quick out in the top of the fourth, she walked the next batter. The runner then moved to second on a passed ball and was driven in from second on a single. Bertrand then struck out the next two batters to end the inning but the Bears had cut the lead to 8-1.

 

The Vikings would need one run in the bottom of the fifth to get back into run-rule range and get out of the rain that had steadily picked up throughout the doubleheader.

 

The Vikings had the bases loaded with one out in the bottom of the fourth when Fine grounded out to the shortstop scoring Celaya who had come in to pinch run. The run gave the Vikings a 9-1 lead.

 

Bertrand then went to work in the top of the fifth setting down the Bears in order to close out the victory for the Vikings, 9-1 in five innings. Bertrand allowed one unearned run on four hits. She walked one and struck out five. She improved her record to 11-12 with the win.

 

Wilconson went 2 2/3 innings allowing eight earned runs on eight hits. She walked two and struck out just one in the game She fell to 4-12 with the loss.  

 

Portland State will go for the series sweep Saturday with the series finale is slated for 12 p.m. Saturday's game will also be the Vikings' annual Alumni Game where they will honor Viking greats from seasons past.

 

NOTES: The Vikings have won a season-high six straight games … The Vikings five-through-nine hitters recorded all seven RBIs in game two … Portland State hit .625 (5-for-8) on the day with runners on third and less than two outs … Sadie Lopez's two home runs gives her three on the season … The Vikings now have seven players with at least three home runs.