GREELEY, Colo. – After dropping the first game of the series to Northern Colorado, 10-4, the Vikings bounced back in game two to even the series with a 9-4 win in game two Friday afternoon in Greeley, Colo. Portland State will go for the series win in Saturday's rubber-match.
 
"Both teams fought hard today," Head Coach Barb Sherwood said following the doubleheader. "I am proud of the resilience that we showed pulling out the win in game two."
 
It was the epitome of a tale of two games. Northern Colorado out-scored and out-hit Portland State in game one and the Vikings returned the favor in game two.
 
Portland State hit .381 as a team Friday, led by seniors Ashley Smith and Candice Orozco who each went 4-for-7 (.571) on the day. Smith scored three runs and drove in two, while Orozco scored twice and drove in two.
 
Orozco continued her hot hitting during Big Sky Conference action and is now hitting .462 during league play. She has hit safely in nine out of her last 10 league games and has driven in at least one run in 12-of-14 conference games.
 
Game 1 – Northern Colorado 10, Portland State 4
 
Portland State jumped out to an early 3-0 lead in the top of the first inning in game one. The Vikings strung together four straight one-out hits, including an RBI single by Orozco and a two-run double to left center by Brianna Celaya to give the Vikings the lead.
 
Northern Colorado got a run back in the bottom of the first off PSU starting pitcher Meagan Hendrix to make it a 3-1 game. The Bears took the lead in the bottom of the second after plating three runs, one earned. They were aided by a pair of infield errors by the Vikings.
 
Junior Alex Flores drove in a run in the top of the third, with a RBI single up the middle, to tie the game at 4-4.
 
Northern Colorado plated two runs in the fourth, two in the fifth, and two more in the sixth to take a commanding 10-4 lead at the end of the sixth.
 
Portland State tallied 10 hits in the game but were limited to just the four runs, falling by the six-run margin.
 
Hendrix was tabbed with her fourth loss in as many appearances. She allowed six runs, four earned, on eight hits. She walked one and did not record a strikeout. She also allowed her 15th home run of the season.
 
Game 2 – Portland State 9, Northern Colorado 4
 
After falling behind 1-0 at the end of the first in game two, Portland State plated six runs in the top of the third to take a 6-1 lead.
 
Hendrix, playing as the Vikings' designated player, singled down the left field line to lead off the inning before being lifted for pinch runner Mariah Gonzalez. Back-to-back singles by Celena Carrisosa and SheaLee Lindsey loaded the bases. After a pop out on the infield, Smith drove in two with a single to give the Vikings the lead. Smith moved to second on the throw to put two runners in scoring position.
 
Orozco then brought in a run on a single up the middle to put the Vikings up 3-1. After Orozco stole second, Celaya walked to load the bases for the second time in the inning.  After a strikeout for the second out, Flores singled through the right side, bringing in two, to to make it a 5-1 game.
 
Hendrix, reentered the game and singled up the middle, for her second hit of the inning, driving in Celaya to put the Vikings up 6-1.
 
Portland State added another run in the top of the fourth on a RBI fielder's choice off the bat of Celaya to make it a 7-1 game.
 
After allowing a run in the bottom of the first, game two starting pitcher Karyn Wright got through the second and third innings unscathed. She got into trouble in the fourth, allowing two runs to make it a 7-3 game. A run in the fifth by the Bears made it a 7-4 game and forced Wright from the game.
 
Alyssa Burk came on in relief and got out of the inning without any more damage.
 
Portland State added a pair of insurance runs in the top of the sixth to go up 9-4. Those insurance runs loomed large for the Vikings as the Bears loaded the bases in each of their final two innings.
 
After loading the bases with one out in the bottom of the sixth, Burk induced a fielders' choice that cut down the lead runner at the plate for the second out. The next batter grounded back to Burk for out number three.
 
Northern Colorado loaded the bases, again with just one out, in the bottom of the seventh. This time it was a foul fly out to left field and another fielders' choice that ended the threat.
 
Burk allowed just one hit over the final three innings of the game to earn her first career save.
 
Wright earned the win after allowing four runs on four hits over the first four innings of the game. She walked four and struck out one. She improved to 4-7 on the season with the win.
 
Portland State improved to 12-26 overall and 6-8 in league play with the split, while Northern Colorado fell to 7-31 and 2-12. Portland State remains a game up on North Dakota for the fifth spot in the Big Sky after the Fighting Hawks split their doubleheader with Weber State.
 
The Vikings will go for their third Big Sky series win of the year Saturday in the rubber-match. First pitch is slated for 2 p.m. MT.
 
NOTES:
• Senior OF Candice Orozco drove in at least one run in each game against Northern Colorado. Orozco has driven in a run in seven of her last nine games.
• Junior LHP Megan Hendrix extended her hitting streak to six games with a hit in each game Friday. She has hit safely in each game this season in which she has at least one plate appearance.
• Portland State recorded double-digit hits in both games Friday. It was just the second time this season the Vikings have recorded 10-plus hits in back-to-back games.
• Every starter in game two had at least one hit in the game.
• Nine different Vikings recorded a hit in game two.
• Alyssa Burk recorded her first career save in game two.