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

LONG BEACH, Calif. – The Portland State softball team dropped a pair of games Saturday at the Long Beach-Louisville Slugger Invitational. The Vikings opened the day with an 8-5 loss to Utah Valley before falling to No. 13 UCLA by a score of 10-1 (in five innings) in the nightcap.
 
Senior IF Brittany Hendrickson continued her hot hitting at the Invitation going 3-for-5 Saturday. Over the last four games she is hitting .615 (8-for-13) with two runs scored, two doubles, a home run and four runs batted in. She has raised her batting average from .259 to .375 over the past four games.
 
Ashley Smith hit .500 on the day going 3-for-6 with a double and three runs scored. Shae Nelson went 2-for-5 with a run scored and drove in a pair of runs.
 
Game 1 – Utah Valley 8, Portland State 5
 
Utah Valley scored the game's first runs with three in the top of the first on an RBI single followed by a two-RBI double off Portland State starting pitcher Kristen Crawford.
 
Portland State came back with a run in the bottom of the second. Smith doubled to left center and then moved to third on a wild pitch. Nelson grounded out for the second out of the inning but Smith came in to score to make it 3-1 Utah Valley.
 
The Wolverines increased their advantage with four runs in the top of the third inning with an RBI fielder's choice and a three-run home run. Three of the four runs in the inning were credited to Crawford who allowed six runs, five earned, over 2 1/3 innings and was credited with the loss.
 
The Vikings picked up a run in the bottom of the third and then three more in the bottom of the fourth to pull within two runs at 7-5. The Wolverines added another run in the top of the sixth to make the score 8-5.
 
Hendrickson went 2-for-3 with a walk while Smith went 2-for-3 with two runs scored. Nelson went 1-for-3 with a run scored and two RBIs.
 
Game 2 – No. 13 UCLA 10, Portland State 1 (Five Innings)
 
Portland State took an early 1-0 lead with an unearned run in the bottom of the first inning. Smith reached on a fielding error and then moved around the bases and eventually scored on a passed ball to put the Vikings up 1-0.
 
After a scoreless second inning, No. 13 UCLA plated six runs with two outs off starting pitcher Karyn Wright. After getting the first two batters out, the next eight batters reached base scoring six runs to put the Bruins up 6-1. UCLA added four more runs in the top of the fourth to go up 10-1.
 
The Vikings had a chance to score in the bottom of the fourth with the bases loaded and two outs but were unable to capitalize on the situation. Hendrickson extended her current hitting streak to four games with a single to center in the bottom of the fifth but that would be all the Vikings would do in the inning.
 
Wright allowed six earned runs over 2 2/3 innings on eight hits and fell to 1-2 with the loss.
 
Portland State will conclude play at the Long Beach-Louisville Slugger Invitational Sunday afternoon when they take on Cal State Fullerton. The game is slated for a 1:30 p.m. first pitch. The Titans are now 12-8 overall this season after going 3-1 so far this weekend.