HILLSBORO, Ore. – Portland State took the first game of the three-game series against the Idaho State Bengals, 6-1, Friday afternoon at the soggy Gordon Faber Recreation Complex in Hillsboro, Ore.
 
Friday's schedule included a second game against the Bengals but that game was postponed in the top of the fifth inning due to inclement weather and will be completed Saturday morning beginning at 10 a.m. PT.
 
Portland State took an early lead with a run in the bottom of the first inning. Senior Lexi Goranson singled to left field with one out and advanced to second when the left fielder bobbled the ball. Senior Ashley Smith traded places with Goranson with a double to center field to bring in the game's first run.
 
Junior LHP Meagan Hendrix pitched a gem of a ball game, holding a potent Bengals offense to just two base runners over the first three innings. Idaho State had two runners in scoring position with two outs in the top of the fourth before Hendrix ended the threat with her fourth strikeout of the game.
 
Portland State added three more in the bottom of the fourth. Senior Brianna Celaya drove in Smith from third base with one out in the inning before senior Melissa Masters blasted her first home run of the season, a two-run shot to left center field, to put the Vikings up 4-0.
 
Idaho State finally plated a run in the top of the sixth after a leadoff walk came around to score off Hendrix. Senior Kristen Crawford came on in relief and got a strikeout for the second out of the inning. Two batters later, she induced a ground ball to Smith at short for the third out, stranding the bases loaded.
 
The Vikings added a pair of insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth after Smith and Orozco led off the inning with a single and a walk respectively. Both came in to score on Celaya's two-run double to left center to make it a 6-1 game.
 
Idaho State threatened again in the top of the seventh by loading the bases with two outs. Crawford induced a groundball out for the final out of the game to strand three more Idaho State runners. For the game, Idaho State stranded 11 runners on base.
 
Smith went 3-for-3 at the plate with a run batted in and two runs scored. Celaya drove in three runs in the game, while Masters drove in two with her home run.
 
Hendrix picked up the win, moving to 4-9 on the season. She allowed one earned run on six hits over 5 1/3 innings. She walked two and struck out four.
 
Crawford picked up her first career save at Portland State, throwing the final 1 2/3 innings. She allowed three hits and struck out one.
 
Portland State improved to 13-27 overall and 7-9 in Big Sky Conference play. Idaho State fell to 21-21 and 8-6.
 
The second game of the series was postponed due to inclement weather and will be resumed Saturday beginning at 10 a.m.
 
The final game of the series is slated for a 12 p.m. first pitch and will be Senior Day for the Vikings.