CEDAR CITY, Utah – The Vikings plated a season-high seven runs in the top of the sixth to defeat the Southern Utah Thunderbirds, 10-2 in six innings, to take their first Big Sky Conference series, 2-1, Saturday afternoon in Cedar City, Utah.
 
"Today's win was an entire team win," Head Coach Barb Sherwood said following the game. "Every single person on our roster played a valuable role in being able to win the series."
 
The bats came alive for the Vikings in the top of the sixth as they scored seven runs on eight hits, while batting around. Senior SS Ashley Smith led off the inning with the Vikings' first triple of the season, off the base of the fence in right field. She later drove in a pair of runs with a single to put the Vikings up 10-2. Smith, in the sixth innings alone, went 2-for-2 with a run scored and two RBIs.
 
After Smith led off with the triple, Candice Orozco brought her in with a sacrifice fly to center field to put the Vikings up 4-2. The Vikings led 3-2 heading into the inning after plating a run in the top of the second and two more in the top of the third. Southern Utah plated one in the first and one in the fourth off PSU starting pitcher Alyssa Burk.
 
After Orozco's sacrifice fly in the sixth, Brianna Celaya singled before being lifted for a pinch runner. Katherine Kramer followed that with a single before both runners moved into scoring position on a wild pitch.
 
Celena Carrisosa then drove in Masters and moved Kramer to third with a double to put the Vikings up 5-2. Carrisosa's double drove Southern Utah starting pitcher Jordan Theurer from the game with just one out in the inning.
 
Kaela Morrow, pinch hitting, hit a deep single to right center to score both Kramer and Carrisosa to increase the Vikings' lead to 7-2. SheaLee Lindsey reentered the game to run at first before moving to second on a single from Shae Nelson. Alex Flores moved both runners into scoring position with a ground out to the pitcher for the second out.
 
Kortney Craker drove in Lindsey from third putting the Vikings up 8-2 with two outs and runners on the corners. Craker stole second to put two in scoring position for Smith. Smith, who led off the with a triple, drove in both runners with a single to give the Vikings' their eight-run lead at 10-2.
 
Kristen Crawford, who came on to pitch for Burk in the bottom of the fourth, got two quick outs in the bottom of the inning before giving up a double. After a walk put two runners on, Crawford struck out the next batter to end the game via the run-rule.
 
Crawford picked up the win after allowing just one hit over the final three innings. She walked one and struck out one. Crawford was the only Portland State pitcher to appear in all three games on the weekend. She did not allow a run over six complete innings pitched. She allowed just two hits as SUU batters hit just .100 off her.
 
Portland State tallied 15 hits in the game and recorded back-to-back 10-plus hit games for the first time this season. The 15 hits were the second most in a game this season for the Vikings.
 
Six different players recorded multiple hits in the game, while three recorded multi-RBI games.
 
Portland State improved to 9-18 overall and 3-3 in Big Sky play, while Southern Utah fell to 6-28 and 3-3.
 
The Vikings hit the road Tuesday, April 5 for a mid-week double-header against No. 4 Oregon in Eugene, Ore. The first game is slated for a 3 p.m. PT start. Portland State will then host North Dakota for a three-game series on Alumni Weekend, April 8-9.
 
NOTES:
• Portland State posted 10+ hits in back-to-back games for the first time this season.
• Portland plated seven runs in the top of the sixth, the most by the Vikings in a single inning this season.
• Portland State won via the run-rule for the first time this season.
• Six Vikings recorded multi-hit games.
• Three Vikings recorded mult-RBI games.
• Portland State's 4-5-6 hitters went a combined 6-for-11 with four runs scored and six runs batted in.