Seattle Redhawks (10-16 overall, 3-1 road)
vs.
Portland State Vikings (5-14 overall, 0-0 home)
March 22, 2016 • Hillsboro, OR • Gordon Faber Field 4  
Live Stats | Live Video

Complete Release in PDF Format

This Week
Portland opens its long awaited home schedule this week by hosting the Seattle University Redhawks for a doubleheader on Tuesday, March 22. The first game of the day is slated for a 3 p.m. PT start. 

Online
Live stats will be available for every home game this season. Check the softball schedule page on GoViks.com for more information. 

Live Video
There will be a live video feed for every game played on Field 4 at Gordon Faber Recreation Complex. If the game is moved to the Turf Field, video will not be available. A link to the video can be found on the Softball schedule page at GoViks.com. 

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

Pets at the Park
For the 2016 season, the area around Field 4, including the stands, grass areas, and outfield have been designated a pet free zone. All pet owners who plan on bringing their animals to the game are asked to check out the Facility Map here.

Last Time Out
Portland State went 0-1 in a rain-shortened Saint Mary's Classic II two weeks ago in Moraga, Calif. The Vikings had four games cancelled due to the weather. They dropped their only game of the week, 5-1, to Towson. Junior LHP Meagan Hendrix allowed three runs over 3 2/3 innings in the losing effort. Offensively, Hendrix went 2-for-3 at the plate. Alex Flores drove in the only run for the Vikings with an RBI single in the bottom of the seventh. 

Pitcher Going the Distance
Portland State pitchers have thrown complete games in five of their last six games after throwing just three over the first 13 games. Over that six-game stretch, the Vikings' pitching staff is 3-3 with a 2.45 ERA. They have allowed just 15 runs, 14 earned over 40 innings. Freshman RHP Alyssa Burk is 2-1 with a 1.05 ERA over 20 innings during the streak. 

Speak Softly and Carry a Big Stick
Sophomore Kortney Craker and Senior Candice Orozco are both hitting over .300 with a pair of home runs over the last six games. They have combined for six runs scored and six driven in. 

Up Next
Portland State will open Big Sky Conference play later this week with a three-game series against the Weber State Wildcats beginning with a doubleheader on Friday, March 25. The series will conclude with a single game on Saturday, March 26. The Wildcats come into the week with the best record in the Big Sky, going 16-11 over their first 27 games. They are 6-4 in their last 10 games and have won two straight. They are the only team above .500 in the league overall. 

Opponent Previews
Seattle Redhawks
• Record: Seattle is 10-16 overall this season, 3-2 at home, 3-1 on the road, and 4-13 at a netural site.
• Top Hitter: Paige Bouska leads the team with a .336 batting average and has started all 26 games this season. She leads the team in at bats (93), hits (34), runs (14), and triples (2). She has recorded 13 multi-hit games this season, including a trio of three-hit games. 
• Top Pitcher: Andie Larkins is 8-6 on the season with a 2.91 ERA. She has started a team-high 15 games and has gone the distance nine times. She has allowed 53 runs, 36 earned, over a team-high 86 2/3 innings pitched this season. She has walked 43 and struck out 52. Opponents are hitting .272 off her with five home runs. 
• Team Notes: Seattle opened the season 1-4 before winning three of its next six games. After dropping three-straight, the Redhawks won six out of their next nine games. They ride a three-game losing streak into Tuesday's doubleheader after falling to Cal Poly (6-1), Illinois (9-1, five innings), and San Jose State (12-6). Seattle is hitting .261 as a team this season and has been out-scored 121-74. The Redhawks are slugging .368 with a .322 on-base percentage. They are 16-for-24 in stolen base attempts. 

Season Notes
Going the Distance
• Portland State pitchers have thrown complete games in five of their last six games. They are 3-3 with a 2.45 ERA over that stretch.
• Freshman RHP Alyssa Burk has thrown three straight complete games. Senior RHP Kristen Crawford and Junior LHP Meagan Hendrix have each thrown one. 
• Over the Vikings' first 13 games the staff combined for three complete games and an 8.16 ERA. 

Player/Pitcher of the Week
• Sophomore IF Kortney Craker and freshman RHP Alyssa Burk were named the Big Sky's Player and Pitcher of the Week respectively following the Hawaii Invitational. 
• Craker hit .615 (8-for-13) with five runs scored, a double, three home runs, and six RBIs. She slugged 1.385 with an on base percentage of .688. She tallied two game-winning home runs on the week including a walk-off home run in the bottom of the seventh against Utah Valley (2/26). 
• Burk went 2-0 with a 1.50 ERA with two complete games including a complete-game shutout of Hawaii. She allowed just three earned runs off five hits over 14 innings, while walking six and striking out 17. She struck out a career-high 10 batters in the shutout of Hawaii. 
• It was the third time, first since 2013, that the Vikings have swept the Big Sky's weekly honors. 

Walk-Off Winner
Sophomore IF Kortney Craker hit a walk-off solo home run against Utah Valley (2/26) to give the Vikings their first win of the season. It was the first walk-off home run (not via the eight-run rule) since Becca Bliss walked-off against Sacramento State on April 27, 2013. 

Double-Digit K's
Freshman RHP Alyssa Burk recorded a career-high 10 strikeouts en route to her first career win, and first career complete-game shutout, against Hawaii (2/27). The last Viking to recorded 10+ strikeouts in a game was Anna Bertrand (11) against Sacramento State on April 26, 2013.

Back-to-Back Complete Game Wins
Freshman RHP Alyssa Burk recorded the first back-to-back complete game wins since Anna Bertrand recorded six straight compete-game wins in 2013. 

2016 Weekly Recaps
Week 5 - Saint Mary's Classic II (March 11-13)
• Portland State went 0-1 after having four games cancelled due to inclement weather. 
• Junior LHP Meagan Hendrix picked up the 5-1 loss, allowing thee earned runs over 3 2/3 innings. She walked three and struck out two. 
• Hendrix led the Vikings at the plate, going 2-for-3 with a pair of singles. 
• Junior C Alex Flores drove in the Vikings' lone run with a RBI single in the bottom of the seventh. 

Week 4 - San Diego Classic I (March 4-5)
• Portland State went 1-2 over the weekend. The Vikings' pitchers threw three complete games and combined for a 2.21 ERA. 
• Freshman RHP Alyssa Burk opened the week with a 1-0 loss on an unearned run. She struck out four and did not allow a walk. 
• Junior LHP Meagan Hendrix allowed one run on five hits in the Vikings win against San Diego. 
• Senior OF Candice Orozco went 2-for-4 with a home run and 2 RBIs on the weekend. 
• Portland State hit .228 on the weekend, while opponents hit .271. 

Week 3 - Bank of Hawaii Invitational (Feb. 26-28)
• Sophomore IF Kortney Craker was named the Big Sky's Player of the Week. 
• Freshman RHP Alyssa Burk was named the Big Sky's Pitcher of the Week.
• Craker was also named the Hawaii Invitational Most Valuable Player. 
• Senior OF Brianna Celaya and Burk were named to the All-Tournament Team. 
• Portland State went 4-1 at the Hawaii Invitational, its best weekend record since going 5-0 in 2006.
• Craker hit .615 (8-for-13) with five runs, a double, three home runs, and six RBIs.She slugged 1.385 with a .688 on base percentage. 
• Burk went 2-0 with two complete games, including her first career complete-game shutout. She allowed just three earned runs over 14 innings for a 1.50 ERA. She struck out 17 batters, including a career-high 10 batters against Hawaii (2/27). 
• Senior OF Candice Orozco hit a pinch hit go-ahead home run against Utah Valley (2/28). 

Week 2 - DeMarini Desert Classic (Feb. 19-21)
• Portland State went 0-5 at the DeMarini Desert Classic. 
• Portland State hit .252 with six extra-base hits. 
• Portland State committed nine errors, which led to 12 unearned runs over the five games. 
• Portland State opened the classic with a 16-12 loss against CSUN (2/19). 
• The Vikings scored just two runs over the next four games, being shut out three times. 
• Junior C Alex Flores went 7-for-14 (.500) with three runs scored and six RBIs. 
• Flores hit two home runs on the weekend, her first two of the year.
• Flores has hit safely in each of the last three games. 

Week 1 - Kajikawa Classic (Feb. 12-14)
• Portland State opened the season 0-5 at the Kajikawa Classic. 
• Portland State hit .311 with three doubles, a home run, and 16 RBIs.
• Senior OF Brianna Celaya hit .571 (8-for-14) with three runs scored, a double, home run, and two RBIs. She posted an OPS of 1.504 on the week.
• Senior IF Melissa Masters (.500), junior IF/OF Shae Nelson (.462), and senior IF Ashley Smith (.400) all hit over .400 on the weekend. 
• Portland State pitchers went 0-5 with a 9.54 ERA after allowing 52 runs, 37 earned, over 25 1/3 innings. 
• Junior LHP Meagan Hendrix went 0-1 with a 5.73 ERA over 14 2/3 innings pitched. She struckout 10 batters on the weekend. 
• Portland State committed 10 errors which led to 15 unearned runs on the weekend. 

2016 Season Highlights
• March 1 Kortney Cracker named Big Sky Player of the Week, while Alyssa Burk named Big Sky Pitcher of the Week. It was the first weekly honor sweep since 2013. 
• March 1 Kortney Craker named College Sports Madness Big Sky Player of the Week.
• Feb. 28 Kortney Craker named Bank of Hawaii Invitational Most Valuable Player. Brianna Celaya and Alyssa Burk named to the All-Tournament Team. 
• Feb. 28 Candice Orozco hits pinch hit go-ahead home run in the top of the seventh to defeat Utah Valley, 4-3. Alyssa Burk picked up her second win of the season with second straight complete game.
• Feb. 27 Alyssa Burk threw first complete-game shutout with a 1-0 win over Hawaii. She struck out a career-high 10 batters, the most by a Viking since 2013. 
• Feb. 26 Portland State picked up its first win of the season over Utah Valley, 6-5. Kortney Craker hit first career walk-off home run on the first pitch of the bottom of the seventh. 
• Feb. 19 Alex Flores hit first home run of the season against CSUN. Flores went 4-for-4 with a career-high four hits. She also drove in a career-high five runs. 
• Feb. 14 Brianna Celaya hit the first home run of the season by a Viking against Arizona State. 

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.