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

TEMPE, Ariz. – The bats came alive in game two helping the Vikings to an opening day split at the Kajikawa Classic in Tempe, Ariz. The Vikings dropped their season opener to Colorado State, 6-2, before coming back to defeat Indiana, 8-6, in the nightcap.

"Offensively we were great all day," first-year head coach Barb Sherwood said. "We swung the bats and ran very well. We did out part offensively and we were good on defense. Pitching had some great moments and some not so great moments. We all got better today and the team realized what they need to do better."

Junior first baseman Brittany Hendrickson provided a lot of the offense going 4-for-8 with a run scored and four RBIs on the day. She also added a stolen base in game two against the Hoosiers.

Senior center fielder Becca Bliss went 3-for-6 with a run scored and three RBIs of her own on the day. She added a walk and a sacrifice fly.

"I was very pleased with today and how they bounced back after losing game one," Sherwood added. Putting up eight runs in game two shows they are extremely resilient."

Game One – Colorado State 6, Portland State 2

The Vikings dropped their season opener 6-2 against the Colorado State Rams. Sophomore pitcher Karyn Wright got the start in the circle for the Vikings and quickly fell behind 2-0 after giving up runs in each of the first two innings.

Portland State came back to tie the game with a pair of runs in the bottom of the third inning. Freshman Shae Nelson led off the inning by getting hit by a pitch. A ground out by Hendrickson moved Nelson to second who was then driven in by Bliss on a single through the left side for her first RBI of the season.

Crysta Conn singled up the middle and Aubrey Nitschelm walked to load the bases. Bliss came around to score on a passed ball but unfortunately that would be all they would get in the inning.

After giving up a run in each of the first two innings, Wright went into shutdown mode allowing three base runners over the next three innings. She would get into trouble in the top of the sixth by giving up what would be the game winning grand slam.

Wright fell to 0-1 with the loss. She threw 5 1/3 innings allowing six earned runs on eight hits. She walked three and struck out a career-high eight batters. Raya Johnson threw the final 1 2/3 innings allowing just one hit.

Game Two – Portland State 8, Indiana 6

After a pair of scoreless innings, the Vikings broke through with a run in the top of the third to take a 1-0 lead after Bliss drove in Lexi Goranson from third base on a sacrifice fly to center field.

Indiana matched Portland State's run in the bottom of the third with an RBI single off Viking starting pitcher Meagan Hendrix.

Hendrix, a freshman from Puyallup, Wash., got a little touched up in her first career start allowing six earned runs in 4 2/3 innings. She gave up just one run through the first four innings before giving up five runs on two home runs, including a grand slam, in the bottom of the fifth.

The Vikings broke the game open in the top of the fourth plating four runs in the inning. Aubrey Nitschelm led off the inning with a single through the left side. Alicia Fine reached on an error and advanced to second, Nitschelm moved to third on the play.

Following a pitching change, Melissa Masters loaded the bases by reaching on another Hoosier error. Two batters later, Brittany Hendrickson singled down the left field line clearing the bases while moving to third on the play. Bliss singled driving in Hendrickson from third to put the Vikings up 5-1 headed to the bottom of the inning.

Hendrix came out in the bottom of the inning and sat down the Hoosiers in order not allowing them to cut into the Vikings lead.

Portland State added three more runs in the top of the fifth to go up 8-1. Nelson singled up the middle with the bases loaded to drive in two. Hendrickson came up and drove in another run with a single through the right side to give the Vikings the seven-run advantage.

Hendrix gave up five runs in the bottom of the fifth while only getting a pair of outs in the inning. She was lifted for Wright who got a swinging strikeout to end the inning.

Wright got into some trouble in the bottom of the sixth allowing a pair of base runners but did not allow a run to send the game to the top of the seventh with the Vikings holding an 8-6 lead.

After a scoreless top of the seventh for the Vikings, the first two Hoosiers reached base on an error and a walk. The next batter flew out to Bliss in center field for the first out. Wright then induced a popup to second to move the Vikings one out away from their first win of the season. A ground out to second finished out the game, as the Vikings took it 8-6.

Wright picked up her first career save after she threw the final 2 1/3 innings allowing just two hits while not allowing a run.

The Vikings will play another pair of game Saturday at the Kajikawa Classic when they take on New Mexico and Utah.

NOTES: Portland State had two stolen bases against Indiana after having 10 in all of 2013 … Meagan Hendrix picked up her first career win … Karyn Wright picked up her first career save.