Box Score - PDF | HTML

HILLSBORO, Ore. – Sophomore pitcher Meagan Hendrix threw a complete game for the Vikings as they defeated the Southern Utah Thunderbirds Sunday afternoon for their first Big Sky Conference win of the season.
 
Hendrix scattered just three hits over seven innings and allowed runners to reach second base just three times. She walked just two and struck out four to improve to 2-6 on the season.
 
Hendrix faced the minimum through the first 2 1/3 innings before giving up a double down the left field line for Southern Utah's first hit of the game. Hendrix was not fazed and came back with a strikeout for the second out of the inning. She then induced a fly out to right to get out of the inning.
 
Portland State got to Southern Utah's starting pitcher early but stranded five runners over the first two innings, as they were unable to push a run across.
 
That all changed in the third as the Vikings plated four runs on three hits. Senior Aubrey Nitschelm got things going in the bottom of the third with a double down the left field line. Lexi Goranson then singled to left field, putting runners on the corners.
 
Goranson stole second to put two runners in scoring position. Melissa Masters then drove in Nitschelm from third on a groundout to short for the second out. After Alex Flores walked, Brianna Celaya blasted a 3-2 pitch over the left field fence for a three-run home run to put the Vikings up 4-0.
 
The Vikings added a run in the bottom of the fourth after Nitschelm drove in Rayleen Pallan from second on an RBI single up the middle to go up 5-0 through four innings.
 
Southern Utah got on the board with a run in the top of the fifth on an RBI single to make the score 5-1. The Thunderbirds had two runners in scoring position but Hendrix again got out of the inning with a groundout.
 
Portland State added two runs in the bottom of the sixth on a wild pitch and an RBI single from Goranson to go up by the final score of 7-1.
 
Hendrix shut down the Thunderbirds in order to secure the win for the Vikings. Portland State is now 7-0 on the season when scoring six runs or more this season.
 
Portland State improved to 7-21 overall and 1-2 in Big Sky play while Southern Utah fell to 9-16, 2-1.
 
Nitschelm went 3-for-4 on the day with a run driven in and two runs scored. She finished the weekend going 6-for-11 (.545) with three RBIs and the two runs scored.