Kajikawa Classic • February 12-14 • Arizona State • Tempe, AZ
vs. Stanford Cardinal (0-0); Friday, February, 12; 7:30 p.m. MT
vs. Wisconsin Badgers (0-0); Saturday, February, 13; 4:30 p.m. MT
vs. Utah Utes (0-0); Saturday, February, 13; 9:30 p.m. MT
vs. San Diego Toreros (0-0); Sunday, February, 14; 11:15 a.m. MT
vs. #20/22 Arizona State Sun Devils (0-0); Sunday, February, 14; 1:30 p.m. MT

Complete Release in PDF Format

This Week
     The 2016 Portland State softball team opens its season this week at the Kajikawa Classic, hosted by Arizona State in Tempe, Ariz. It will be the eighth consecutive season that the Vikings have opened at the Kajikawa. 
     The opening weekend gauntlet begins with the Stanford Cardinal on Friday, Feb. 12 at 7:30 p.m. MT. Portland State will then take on Wisconsin, Utah, San Diego, and host #20/22 Arizona State over the three-day tournament.

Online
Live stats will be available for selected games at the Kajikawa Classic. Check the schedule page on GoViks.com for more information. 

Live Video
Sunday's tournament finale against ASU will be streamed live online at Pac-12.com/live/arizona-state-university. 

Social Media
Stay informed with Portland State Softball on social media. See below for everything related to Portland State Softball. 
• Twitter - @PortlandStateSB
• Instagram - @PortlandStateSB
• Facebook - @PortlandStateSB
• YouTube - @GoPortlandState

Kajikawa Classic
The Vikings open the season at the Kajikawa Classic for the eighth-straight season. PSU has won at least two games at the Kajikawa every season. Portland State went 3-3 in 2011 with wins over #16 BYU, Nevada, and San Jose State. 

Last Season
Portland State went 16-35 overall and 8-13 in Big Sky Conference play in 2015. The Vikings doubled their win totals, both overall and conference, last season. The Vikings hit .276 as a team with 217 runs scored, 24 home runs, and 189 RBIs. Portland State's pitchers combined for a 4.72 ERA, allowing 220 earned runs over 236 innings pitched. 

The Roster
Portland State returns six starters, 13 letterwinners, and, nearly its entire pitching staff from last year's squad. The Vikings add five newcomers, which includes a pair of freshmen and three transfers. 

Replacing Production
Portland State will have to replace the majority of its offensive production from a year ago. The Vikings graduated two seniors who accounted for over 30-percent of the team's hits (112), doubles (17), and RBIs (71), while accounting for 54-percent of the team's home runs (13).

Hitting Streaks
Junior IF/OF Shae Nelson brings a three-game hitting streak into the 2016 season. Senior IF Ashley Smith and senior OF Lexi Goranson bring two-game streaks into the season. 

Big Sky Tournament
The Big Sky Conference Tournament has been expanded to six teams for the 2016 season. The double-elimination tournament will be hosted by the regular season champion May 12-14. 

Up Next
The Vikings hit the road again next week when they head to the DeMarini Desert Classic, hosted by UNLV in Las Vegas, Nev. 

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Stanford Cardinal
• Head Coach: Rachel Hanson (2nd Season, 17-37 overall)
• Record: 17-37 overall, 2-22 Pac-12 in 2015 
• Top Returning Hitter: Senior UT Kayla Bonstrom hit .439 and led the team in runs (43), doubles (16), home runs (13), and RBIs (54) last season. Earned All-Pac-12 First Team, NFCA First Team All-West Region at first base, and NFCA Second Team All-American at first base in 2015. Opens 2016 on the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Top-50 Watch List. 
• Top Returning Pitcher: Sophomore RHP Haley Snyder was limited due to injury but held an 8-10 record with a 5.16 ERA, 38 strkeouts, and 82 walks in 112.2 innings. She led Stanford pitchers in both innings pitched and wins. 
• Team Notes: Stanford returns 13 letterwinners, including eight starters, from last year's squad that went 17-37 overall and finished ninth in the Pacific-12 Conference with a 2-22 record. The Cardinal hit .277 as a team a year ago, while opponents hit .357 off of a pitching staff that posted a 7.22 team earned run average. The Cardinal was outscored 418-to-275 in 2015 and went 6-29 when scoring five-or-fewer runs. 

Wisconsin Badgers
• Head Coach: Yvette Healy (6th Season, 165-106 overall)
• Record: 21-31 overall, 5-17 Big Ten in 2015.
• Top Returning Hitter: Junior Chloe Miller was third on the team hitting .345 last season. She led the 2014-15 Badgers in doubles (18), runners batted in (45), hit by pitch (10), and sacrifice flies (3). The 2014 NFCA Great Lakes All-Region third team selection tallied a season-high four RBI vs. Seton Hall (3/7) and led the team with 15 multiple RBI games.
• Top Returning Pitcher: Senior Taylor-Paige Stewart returns as the Badgers' ace. Last season, Stewart posted a 10-18 record after starting in 28 games and appearing in 33. Stewart currently ranks 10th in Wisconsin softball history with 291 career strikeouts and fifth in career winning percentage (.537). Stewart recorded a team season-high 124 strikeouts a season-best two saves. She allowed a career-best zero runs and only three hits in 5.2 innings pitched vs. DePaul (3/1). On the other side, Stewart hit the first home run of her career against Iowa (4/12) and also had a career-high three RBI vs. TAMUCC (2/12).
• Team Notes: The 2015-16 Badgers return 11 letterwinners and eight starters, including the team's leaders in slugging percentage, on base percentage, RBI, doubles, home runs, total bases and walks. Wisconsin returns 53.1 percent of its running, 49.9 percent of its hitting and 61.0 percent of its RBI production from last season.

Utah Utes
• Head Coach: Amy Hogue (9th year, 224-208-1 overall)
• Record: 36-19 overall, 12-11 Pac-12 in 2015
• Top Returning Hitter: Junior IF Hannah Flippin hit .373 in 2015 with eight doubles, a pair of triples, and seven home runs. She scored 46 runs on the season and drove in 28. Her 120 fielding assists were fifth in the Pac-12. She earned First Team NFCA All-Region, Second Team All Pac-12, First Team Pac-12 All-Academic, and First Team Pac-12 All-Defensive honors a year ago. She was named Pac-12 Softball Player of the Week twice. 
• Top Returning Pitcher: Sophomore P Katie Donovan appeared in 45 games, making 28 starts and 17 relief apperances. She went 17-10 with a 2.66 ERA during her freshman season. Her ERA was third best in the Pac-12. She struckout 154 batters, third in the Pac-12, and opponents hit just .224 off her. She earned First Team All Pac-12, Second Team NFCA All-Region, First Team Pac-12 All-Freshman Team, and was named Pac-12 Freshman of the Week twice. 
• Team Notes: The Utes return 11 letterwinners from a team that went 36-19 overall and 12-11 in Pac-12 play a year ago. They also bring in four freshmen and a trio of junior transfers. Utah hit .287 as a team a year ago while opponents hit .253. The Utes outscored opponents 259-to-182 on the season and went 27-1 when holding opponents to 2-or-fewer runs. They are missing their biggest bat from a year ago in Kate Dickman. She led the team in batting average, slugging percentage, on base percentage, hits, runs scored, doubles, home runs, and walks. 

San Diego Toreros
• Head Coach: Melissa McElvain (15th year, 292-396 overall)
• Record: 29-23 overall, 8-7 WCC in 2015. 
• Top Returning Hitter: Sophomore UT Kailey Hill leads the Toreros' returners after hitting .365 with 12 home runs and 31 RBIs a year ago. She tallied 50 hits, scored 27 runs, and slugged .723 with and on base percentage of .447. She earned First Team All-WCC honors and was named WCC Freshman of the Year. 
• Top Returning Pitcher: Senior RHP Grace Hernandez threw the most innings of any of the Toreros' returning pitchers. She threw 103 1/3 innings a year ago and went 6-8 with a 2.85 ERA. She threw seven complete games and combined for three shutouts. She also recorded four saves. She struckout 45 and walked 45.  
• Team Notes: The Toreros are without their best starting pitcher from a year ago, Paige von Sprecken. Von Sprecken led the team, going 21-11 with a 2.29 ERA in just her freshman season. However, following the season, von Sprecken transferred to the University of Texas. As a team, San Diego hit .264 a year ago while opponents hit .244. The Toreros out-scored opponents 197-to-179 on the season. 

#20/22 Arizona state Sun Devils
• Co-Interim Head Coaches: Robert Wagner & Letty Olivarez (1st year, 0-0 overall)
• Record: 36-22 overall, 12-11 Pac-12 in 2015
• Top Returning Hitter: Senior OF Abby Spiel hit for the highest average of any returner a year ago, hitting .364. Junior SS Chelsea Gonzales hit .288 a year ago but leads all returners with 11 home runs and 42 RBIs a year ago. 
• Top Returning Pitcher: Sophomore RHP Breanna Macha returns as the team's leading pitcher. She went 18-13 with a 3.69 ERA after allowing 128 runs, 112 earned, over 212 2/3 innings. She earned Honorable Mention All-Pac-12, Third Team NFCA All-West Region, and was named Pac-12 Freshman of the Week once. 
• Team Notes: Arizona State enters the season ranked 20th in the USA Today/NFCA Coaches Poll and 22nd in the ESPN/USA Softball Poll. The Sun Devils return 15 letterwinners, including nine starters, from last year's squad. They finished fourth in the Pac-12 and made it to the NCAA Regional round. Arizona State ranked tied for 17th in the final polling. The Sun Devils are without five of their top seven bats from a year ago, which accounted for 52 home runs and 244 RBIs. 

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SEASON PREVIEW
     Depth. Depth is something that third-year Head Coach Barb Sherwood has not had in her previous two years at Portland State, but it is something that she has this season. 
The Vikings are deeper across the board than they have been in several years. The depth and versatility of this year's squad comes from veteran leadership that has matured into leading roles as well as a crop of newcomers who are primed and ready to compete and make an impact. 
      No unit is deeper and more experienced than the 2016 Portland State pitching staff. The Vikings return nearly all of its innings from a year ago. The core returners of Kristen Crawford, Meagan Hendrix, and Karyn Wright combined to throw 88.1 percent of the innings a year ago (287 1/3 of the team's 326 innings). 
     Defensively, the Vikings return six starters from a year ago but will have to replace a pair of big bats in the middle of their lineup after the graduation of senior Brittany Hendrickson and Aubrey Nitschelm. 
     Hendrickson leading the team in batting average (.393), home runs (8), and runs batted in (45) to claim the team's "Triple Crown." Her .393 batting average was the fifth best all-time at Portland State, missing the Division I record by just one hit. Her 45 runs driven in were third best all-time. 
     Hendrickson and Nitschelm, who had a career year as a senior hitting .314, accounted for over 30-percent of the team's hits (112), doubles (17), and RBIs (71), while accounting for 54-percent of the team's home runs (13). 
     Replacing that kind of production, and getting Portland State back where it wants to be, atop the Big Sky Conference, will not be an easy task for Sherwood and the Vikings, but they have the pieces to do it. 

PITCHING STAFF
     "Having Meagan, Kristen, and Karyn back is huge," Sherwood said of her returning pitchers. "They were the work horses last year and they are all better than they were a year ago. They've all pitched in some big games and they're in a better place mentally. Now they're strong veterans."
     Crawford, a senior from Pendleton, Ore., led Portland State with a 7-12 record and a 4.48 ERA in her first year with Vikings. She also led the staff in appearances (27), games started (17), complete games (8), and shutouts (2).  She started the season off going 3-1 with a 1.40 ERA over her first five appearances of the season, including a complete game shutout of Utah Valley. 
After struggling through injury most of the season, Crawford came up with a pair of conference wins over North Dakota and then a big non-conference game against in-state Pac-12 foe Oregon State.
     Hendrix, a junior from Puyallup, Wash., went 5-9 with a 4.73 ERA in 2015 in 100 2/3 innings pitched. After a slow start to the season, Hendrix found her rhythm during conference play, going 4-2 with a 4.13 ERA against Big Sky opponents. 
     Wright, a senior from West Hills, Calif., went 4-8 with a 4.87 ERA last season. She helped the Vikings to a series victory over Montana late in the season going 2-0 against the Grizzlies while allowing just one earned run over 7 1/3 innings. She allowed just one hit against Montana in relief as the Vikings came back and took the series opener 11-9. She then threw 5 1/3 innings, allowing just one run, in the series finale to secure the win. 
     Even the most veteran of units got added depth with the addition of freshman RHP Alyssa Burk. The Fontana, Calif. native lettered all four years at Fontana HS and set the school and league strikeout records in each of her final three seasons. She struck out 271 batters as a senior while hitting .486 at the plate. 
     "I do expect Alyssa (Burk) to get some innings this season," Sherwood added. "She'll jump right in there. She had a nice fall and has the ability to make some noise on this staff. It's just a matter of where and when she'll get her chances. The veterans are not going to give up their innings willingly and they're all fighting pretty hard for that number one spot. It should be fun."

AROUND THE HORN
CATCHER
     No other position has been the thinnest over the past several seasons for the Vikings than catcher. Portland State has seen injury after injury to catchers in recent memory and has been one more injury shy of moving an emergency catcher behind the plate. 
     This season however, the Vikings are solid behind the plate. Junior C Alex Flores caught all 51 games behind the plate for Portland State in 2015 and looks to be the opening day starter in 2016. Flores hit a career-high .241 a year ago with 11 runs scored, seven doubles, a pair of home runs, and 18 runs batted in. But that production looks to go up this season. 
     "Alex is a veteran behind the plate now," Sherwood said. "She started behind the plate every single game a year ago. The hard stuff is past her now, the mental and physical challenges. She comes in better than she left. She's ready to take on the challenge of leading our defense. A year ago she was trying to get her job done. Now, she's more confident in being a leader as well."
     The depth behind the plate this season comes from freshman C Kaela Morrow from Saugus High School in Santa Clarita, Calif. The four-year letterwinner was named Best Offensive Player and All-Foothill League first team as a senior. 
     "Kaela has the ability to hit at this level," Sherwood added. "I definitely see her getting some innings behind the plate. She could get some at bats at designated player as well."
Junior C/IF Katherine Cramer also gives the Vikings added depth behind the plate, though she will most likely be playing elsewhere in the field. 
     "Kat (Katherine) Cramer did a nice job behind the plate this fall," Sherwood said. "She's a big strong kid behind the plate. She blocks well. She receives well. She had the best fall offensively. She drove in a lot of runs, had a lot of two-out hits. I expect big things from her."

FIRST BASE
     With Flores cemented behind the plate, Cramer, who has not played first base prior to Portland State, will see quite a bit of time there this season. The native of The Dalles, Ore., spent two seasons at the University of Pittsburgh prior to transferring to the Park Blocks this fall. 
     While at Pitt, her team made it to the ACC Championship Game and the NCAA Regional Final for the first time in program history. The Vikings will need that valuable postseason experience as they look to make their own run at the NCAA Tournament in 2016. 
     Flores and Burk have both seen time at first base during preseason camp and can backup Cramer if needed. 

SECOND BASE
     The job of starting second baseman is up for grabs heading in to the season. Senior Melissa Masters and junior Celena Carrisosa have each seen ample time at the position throughout fall ball and during preseason camp. 
     Masters has the edge at the position going into the season after starting the majority of the 2015 season at the position. She hit .202 last season with 12 runs scored but showed some power tallying seven double and three home runs, while driving in 18 runs. 
     Carrisosa started at second early in the season before losing the job to Masters. She hit .132 with eight runs scored and 1 RBI.

SHORTSTOP
     Shortstop is one of the few positions on the field where there is not a battle for the starting role. Senior Ashley Smith has that locked up. She started 43 of the team's 51 games a year ago at shortstop, missing eight games due to injury. 
     Smith is a strong defender with great range. She accounted for 96 putouts and 85 assists last season. She is one of the Vikings' best table-setters. She hit .331 overall a year ago and led the team in runs scored (32) and was second in hits (46). Her bat can move up and down the lineup as well. She hit .323 when leading off a year ago, .333 when hitting second, and she even hit .500 as the cleanup hitter going 8-for-16.
     Smith also gives the Vikings a lot of speed on the base paths. She went 12-for-14 in stolen base attempts in 2015 and will look to improve on those numbers even more this season. 

THIRD BASE
     The "Hot Corner" is another position that is up for grabs heading into the season. Sophomore Kortney Craker and junior Shae Nelson have been fighting it out through much of preseason camp. Craker, a transfer from Caldwell University, hit .405 and earned NFCA All-East Region First Team a year ago. 
     "Kortney has a very strong arm and can hit a ton," Sherwood said. "She was out during the fall with an injury but she has the ability to do a lot of good things at third."
     Nelson is the team's leading returning hitter from a year ago. She hit .333 making 46 starts before missing the final few games due to injury. She played the majority of the season in the outfield but has plenty of experience on the infield. Nelson started all but one game at second base during her freshman season and played both at both second and short last season. 
     Nelson found a home in the nine-hole last season, where she hit .348 with 18 runs scored. With her ability at the plate to move people and drive in runners, she will most likely move into more of the heart of the order this season.

THE OUTFIELD
     One of the great things about the Portland State outfield this season, is the potential speed in all three positions, which any starting pitcher would love to have. 
     The anchor of any outfield is a good, speedy center fielder. The Vikings have just that in senior Lexi Goranson. Goranson is the most experienced returning outfielder on the roster. She patrolled the outfield in 49 of the team's 51 games a year ago, all in center field. She hit .234 for the season in 2015 and scored 20 runs. She hit four doubles and drove in 12. She, like Smith, gives the Vikings a lot of speed on the base paths, after going 10-for-12 in stolen base attempts last season. 
     Junior transfer SheaLee Lindsey could push Goranson for the starting job in centerfield but will most likely make her home in left field. Lindsey is the fastest Viking on the roster this season and will quite possibly be one of the fastest in the Big Sky Conference. Not only is she fast but she can throw runners out and hit for a high average. 
     Lindsey, a lefty slapper, hit .410 as a freshman and .417 as a sophomore at Mt. Hood Community College before transferring to Portland State in the fall. 
     The other corner outfield position is still up for grabs heading into the season. Senior Candice Orozco leads the platoon of outfielders vying for the starting position. Orozco has plenty of experience in the outfield making 63 career starts. 
     Also platooning in the outfield are senior Brianna Celaya, junior Jenna Stanford, and sophomore Mariah Gonzales. Celaya saw a lot of playing time a year ago as the Vikings' designated player. She hit .303 a year ago with five doubles, a triple, and two home runs. She also drove in 16 and walked 18 times, the second most by any returner. 

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2016 PRESEASON NOTES
• Head Coach Barb Sherwood is in her third year of leading the Vikings. Portland State doubled its win total from year one to year two in both overall and Big Sky Conference wins in 2015. 
• Portland State returns six starters, 13 letterwinners, and nearly its entire pitching staff from last year's squad that went 16-35 overall and 8-13 in conference play. The Vikings add five newcomers, which includes a pair of freshmen and three transfers. 
• Portland State will have to replace the majority of its offensive production from a year ago. The Vikings graduated two seniors who accounted for over 30-percent of the team's hits (112), doubles (17), and RBIs (71), while accounting for 54-percent of the team's home runs (13).
• The Portland State pitching staff tallied a 4.72 team ERA in 2015 which was 2.38 points better than the previous season. The Vikings will have to continue to improve their team ERA if they want to contend for their second Big Sky Conference championship.
• The Big Sky Conference Tournament has been expanded to six teams for the 2016 season. The double-elimination tournament will be hosted by the regular season champion May 12-14. 
• Head softball coach Barb Sherwood has announced addition of 10 players for the for the 2016-17 academic year on Nov. 11, 2015. Sierra Boyajian (Newhall, CA/Hart HS), Marissa Bruno (Monterey, CA/Santa Catalina HS), Riley Casper (Encinitas, CA, La Costa Canyon HS), Elena Cook (Boise State, ID/Boise HS), Emma Datamore (Woodland Hills, CA/Louisville HS), Taylor Gunesch (Salem, OR/West Salem HS), Korina Krueg (Lodi, CA/Tokay HS), Alexis Morrison (Pendleton, OR/Pendleton HS), Alexxis Ponce (Whittier, CA/Santa Fe HS), and Hannah Self (Tigard, OR/Tualatin HS) will all join the Vikings in the fall of 2016. 

2015 SEASON HIGHLIGHTS
• Feb. 8 - Kristen Crawford opened the season 2-0 with a 1.91 ERA after allowing just four earned over 14 2/3 innings pitched at the Kajikawa Classic.
• Feb. 8 - Alex Flores hit her first two home runs at the Kajikawa Classic. 
• Feb. 14 - Kristen Crawford threw the first complete game shutout of the season for the Vikings in a 10-0 win in five innings over Utah Valley for her third win of the season. 
• Feb. 14 - Jenna Stanford picked up her first career hit, a pinch hit three-run home run, against Utah Valley. It was the first pinch hit home run by a Viking since the 2011 season. 
• Feb. 14 - Portland State walked 14 times as a team against Boise State with seven players picking up a free base. Lexi Goranson walked four times while Rayleen Pallan walked three times. 
• April 1 - Portland State defeated Seattle U, 15-10 in eight innings, for its first extra-inning win of the season. It was the first time that the Vikings had scored 15 runs in a game in nearly 18 years. The last time was a 15-2 win over Cal State Hayward on April 18, 1997. 
• April 3-4 - Portland State picked up its first Big Sky Conference series victory under Head Coach Barb Sherwood with a 2-1 series win over Northern Colorado. The Vikings walked-off to take game one of the series before dropping the second game. They won the rubber game 3-1 to take the series.
• April 17-18 - Portland State picked up its first Big Sky Conference series sweep under Head Coach Barb Sherwood when the Vikings took three-straight at North Dakota. PSU out-scored UND 37-10 as the Vikings scored 14, 8, and 15 runs respectively.
• April 20 - Kristen Crawford earned her first Big Sky Conference Pitcher of the Week honor after going 2-0 with a 0.00 ERA over 11 innings pitched against North Dakota. She allowed five hits and one unearned run, while walking two and striking out 11. UND hit .132 off Crawford. 
• April 21 - Portland State picked up a big win over a Pacific-12 Conference school by defeating Oregon State 9-1 in five innings on Tuesday, April 21. It was the first time since 2011 that the Vikings defeated the Beavers and the first time since 2012 that they picked up a win over a Pac-12 foe.
• May 5 - Seven Vikings earned All-Big Sky Conference honors led by Brittany Hendrickson's first team selection at first base. Aubrey Nitschelm earned second team honors as an outfielder. Five other Vikings: Ashley Smith (SS), Shae Nelson (OF), Meagan Hendrix (P), Kristen Crawford (P), and Melissa Masters (P/UT) earned honorable mention. 
• June 30 - Nine Vikings: Celena Carrisosa, Brianna Celaya, Lexi Goranson, Melissa Masters, Shae Nelson, Aubrey Nitschelm, Karyn Wright, Brittany Hendrickson, and Rayleen Pallan all earned Big Sky Conference Spring All-Academic honors.
• Oct. 6 - Five Vikings: Brianna Celaya, Lexi Goranson, Brittany Hendrickson, Shae Nelson, and Aubrey Nitschelm earned NFCA All-American Scholar-Athlete honors.