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GRAND FORKS, N.D. – Anna Bertrand threw a pair of complete games Friday afternoon helping to lead the Vikings to a doubleheader sweep of North Dakota by scores of 5-1 and 1-0 at the Apollo Softball Complex in Grand Forks, N.D. The wins help the Vikings keep pace with Idaho State for the right to host the Big Sky Conference Tournament next week. The Vikings entered the weekend one game back of Idaho State.

Bertrand threw all 14 innings on the day and did not allow an earned run. She allowed just five hits while walking four and striking out 14. North Dakota hit just .109 off Bertrand.

The Vikings' bats heated up in the cold temperatures of Grand Forks as Brittany Hendrickson hit .625 (5-for-8) with three doubles on the day. Alicia Fine hit her fourth home run of the season in game one. She hit .571 (4-for-7) with a pair of RBIs including the game-winner in game two.

North Dakota (10-29 overall, 2-9 Big Sky Conference) scored the first run in the bottom of the second. With a runner at third and two outs, a pickoff attempt at third got away from the Vikings allowing the runner to come in and giving UND the 1-0 lead.

Portland State (21-27, 13-4) came back and took the lead in the next half inning with a pair of runs. Carly McEachran led off the inning with a single up the middle. She advanced to second when Becca Bliss reached on an error by the UND second baseman.

Hendrickson drove in the first run of the day for the Vikings with a single to center field bringing in McEachran from second. After Lauran Bliss grounded into a double-play, Crysta Conn drove in Becca Bliss from third who had reached on an error by the UND third baseman.

Fine led off the top of the fourth with a laser shot down the left field line to give the Vikings a 3-1 lead.

The leadoff hitter for UND singled up the middle but was erased from the base paths two batters later on a 5-4-3 double play.

Portland State added two more runs in the top of the seventh on a Becca Bliss two-run home run that drove in Sadie Lopez who'd reached on a fielder's choice. Becca Bliss' sixth home run of the season gave the Vikings a 5-1 lead.

Bertrand set down North Dakota in order in the fifth and sixth. UND got two runners on in the bottom of the seventh via walks but could not drive in a run as Bertrand induced the final out with a foul out to Conn at third base.

Bertrand came out dealing in the second game of the day and allowed only three base runners to reach over the first six innings of the game. She gave up a single and a fielder's choice in the second and a walk in the fifth.

The Vikings loaded the bases in the top of the second but could not get a runner in as North Dakota brought the infield in and got the second out of the inning at the plate. The next Viking batter struck out to end the chance.

Portland State picked up a single run in the top of the fifth after Hendrickson reached on a one-out double to left center. Two batters later Fine drove in Hendrickson for the go-ahead and eventual game-winning run.

The Vikings recorded 10 hits in the game but could only drive in the one run. They left 10 runners on base in the ball game.

North Dakota got a leadoff single to right center in the bottom of the seventh. Back-to-back fielder's choices led to two quick outs. Bertrand ended the game with a strikeout, her seventh of the game, to win it 1-0.

Bertrand improved to 17-15 with the pair of wins Friday. The wins also gave the Vikings their eighth consecutive 20-win season. Bertrand threw her sixth complete game shutout of the season allowing just two hits in the game. She walked just one and struck out seven.

The Vikings entered the weekend one game behind Idaho State in the Big Sky standings. If Portland State hopes to host the conference tournament next weekend, it needs the sweep of North Dakota and a pair of losses by Idaho State in its three-game set at Sacramento State that starts Saturday.

Portland State plays its regular season finale Saturday at North Dakota. First pitch is slated for a 10 a.m. PDT start.

NOTES: Anna Bertrand increased her career wins record to 72 and career strikeout record to 792 … Portland State now has its eighth straight 20-win season … Brittany Hendrickson went 5-for-8 on the day with three doubles … Becca Bliss improved her hitting streak to nine games … Bliss is hitting .333 (9-for-27) with a double, and three home runs, four RBIs, with a .704 slugging percentage during the streak.