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

NORTHRIDGE, Calif. – After two days of sitting and watching it rain, the Portland State softball team finally got onto the field at the Cal State Northridge Invitational. The Vikings split their only two games at the rain-shortened invitational defeating Rutgers 2-0 before falling to Northridge 5-3.

The Portland State bats were a little rusty having not played in nearly two full weeks. Shae Nelson went 2-for-7 with a double and an RBI on the weekend. Crysta Conn picked up only one hit over the two games but she made the most of it hitting a game-winning two-run home run against Rutgers. It was Conn's team-leading third home run of the season.

Sophomore pitcher Karyn Wright threw 12 1/3 innings over the two regulation ballgames allowing just three earned runs for a 1.71 ERA. Wright dropped her season ERA over two full points to 5.60.

Game 1 – Portland State 2, Rutgers 0

Rutgers threatened in the bottom of the first inning with two runners in scoring position. Portland State starting pitcher Wright recorded the first out of the inning after she induced a fly ball to left field. The next batter hit the ball to right center but right fielder Aubrey Nitschelm tracked it down and got it in to keep the runners in place. Wright then induced a grounder to first base for the third out to get out of trouble.

Fine led off the top of the third with the Vikings' first hit of the game. She was moved around to third but the Vikings were unable to drive in the run.

Wright worked her way into and out of trouble again in the bottom of the third as she induced a groundout to short for the third out with the bases loaded.

Nitschelm singled to left in the top of the fourth with one out. Crysta Conn came up next and hit a two-run home run to give the Vikings a 2-0 lead.

Rutgers had a pair of runners in scoring position with one out in the bottom of the seventh but Wright once again picked up a pair of outs to close out the game. The Scarlet Knights left seven runners on base, five in scoring position.

Wright picked up her first win of the season with the complete game shutout. It was her first career shutout. She allowed five hits in the game. Wright was the epitome of pitching to contact in the game as Rutgers flew out nine times and grounded out 11 times.

Game 2 – Northridge 5, Portland State 3

Northridge pushed across the first run of the game with an RBI single in the top of the second inning. The Matadors added another run in the top of the third to take a 2-0 lead.

Kayla Norrie led off the bottom of the third with a base hit to left and was lifted for pinch runner Celena "Nugget" Carrisosa. Mackenzie Bourbanis walked moving Carrisosa to second. The next two Vikings struck out swinging bring Brittany Hendrickson to the plate. Hendrickson doubled to the gap in left center driving in both runners to tie the game at 2-2.

The Matadors retook the lead with an unearned run in the top of the fourth, on the Vikings' second error of the day, to go up 3-2. They then added two more in the sixth on a two-RBI single.

Bourbanis reached with two outs in the bottom of the seventh on a bunt single. Nelson drove her in with a double to left center to pull the Vikings within two but that would be as close as they would get as they fell 5-3.

Wright got the start in game two for the Vikings going 5 1/3 innings. She allowed five runs, three earned, on 11 hits while walking one. She moved to 1-1 on the day and 1-4 overall this season. 

The Vikings head to Stanford, Calif. next week to take part in the Stanford Louisville Slugger Classic March 7-9. The Vikings will BYU, Stanford twice, UC Davis, and North Dakota State at the classic.