North Dakota Fighting Hawks (11-23 overall, 0-4 BSC) vs.
Portland State Vikings (9-20 overall, 3-3 BSC)
April 8-9, 2016 • Hillsboro, OR • Gordon Faber Recreation Complex
Live Video | Live Stats

Complete Release in PDF Format

This Week
Portland State continues Big Sky Conference play this week with a three-game home series against the North Dakota Fighting Hawks. The series opens with a doubleheader on Friday, April 8 beginning at 1 p.m. PT at the Gordon Faber Recreation Complex. The series finale is slated for Saturday, April 9 at 12 p.m. 

Alumni Weekend
The Portland State softball program will be honoring its alumni all weekend long with special events surrounding the series. The Vikings will recognize all alumni in attendance for Saturday's series finale. The 2016 season is the 25th anniversary of the 1991 squad, one of the most decorated in program history. '91 alums in attendance will be recognized prior to the game and will throw out the first pitch.  

Online
Live stats will be available for all three games against North Dakota at ViksLive.com. 

Live Video
A live video stream will be available all three games against North Dakota at WatchBigSky.com. 

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

Last Time Out
Portland State dropped a pair of games at No. 6 Oregon Tuesday afternoon in Eugene. The Ducks took the first game, 7-1, before taking the second game 11-3 in five innings. 

Lindsey's Six-Game Streak
Junior OF SheaLee Lindsey extended her current hitting streak to six games with a hit in each game at Oregon Tuesday. Her six-game hitting streak is the second longest by a Viking this season. Over the streak, Lindsey is hitting .625 (10-for-16) with three runs scored, a double, and a 1.303 OPS. 

Singles
• Senior IF Ashley Smith hit the Vikings' first triple of the season in game three at Southern Utah. 
• Smith leads the team with five multi-RBI games. 
• Freshman Kaela Morrow recorded her first career start in game two at Oregon. 
• Junior Jenna Stanford went 1-for-2 with a run scored and an RBI in game two at Oregon. It was her first start of the season. 
• Sophomore IF Kortney Craker leads the team with 11 multi-hit games this season, including three-hit and two-hit games at Southern Utah. 
• Senior OF Candice Orozco has driven in at least one run in six of the last nine games, including a pair of three-RBI games.  
• Junior OF SheaLee Lindsey recorded seven-consecutive hits to start the series at Southern Utah.

Up Next
The Vikings play a single non-conference game at Oregon State (4/12) before heading to Missoula, Mont. for a three-game series against the Grizzlies.  

Opponent Preview
North Dakota Fighting Hawks
• Record: North Dakota is 11-23 overall and 0-4 in Big Sky Conference play. The Fighting Hawks are 1-2 at home, 2-9 on the road, and 8-12 at a neutral site. 
• Top Hitters: Kaylin VanDomelen leads the team with a .351 batting average on the season. She leads the team in hits with 34 and doubles with eight. Shelby Hard is hitting .269 on the year with five of the team's 13 home runs. 
• Top Pitcher: VanDomelen is also the team's top pitcher with a team-high 21 appearances with 20 starts. She is 8-12 on the season and has gone the distance 14 times, with four shutouts. She has allowed 56 runs, 47 earned over a team-high 114 2/3 innings pitched this season for a 2.87 ERA. She has walked 29 and struck out 97.  
• Team Notes: North Dakota struggled through most of the season, picking up five wins over their first 23 games. They won five straight before entering Big Sky Conference play at Sacramento State. The dropped all three games to the Hornets before dropping their last game to Idaho State. They played only one game against the Bengals due to inclement weather in Grand Forks. The Fighting Hawks are hitting .223 as a team, last in the Big Sky. They have the third best team ERA with a 4.17 mark. 
• All-Time Series: Portland State is 8-2 all-time against North Dakota, dating back to the 2011 season. Portland State won the first five meetings before dropping a pair of games in 2014. The Vikings then swept the season series last year. Portland State is 2-2 against North Dakota at home. 
• Last Season: Portland State swept the season series in Grand Forks with two of its biggest offensive performances of the season. The Vikings took the first game 14-5 before shutting out UND, 8-0, in game two. The Vikings then plated 12 runs over the final two innings to win 15-5 in six. Portland State out-scored North Dakota 37-10 in the series and hit .377 as a team with a .594 slugging percentage. 

Vikings vs. North Dakota: Portland State has had tremendous success against North Dakota over the past three seasons, going 6-2. During that stretch, the Vikings are hitting .362 against UND as a team with 71 runs scored, 21 doubles, three triples, eight home runs, and 65 RBIs.  
• Kristen Crawford went 2-0 with a 0.00 ERA with a complete game shutout last season against UND. She threw 11 innings and allowed one unearned run on five hits. She walked two and struck out 11 on the weekend, while UND batters hit just .132 off her. 
• Alex Flores is 8-for-17 (.471) in five starts against North Dakota. She has scored three ties, doubled once, walked three times, and driven in five runs. She also has a 1.079 OPS against UND. 
• Brianna Celaya is 6-for-12 (.500) against North Dakota in four games played. She went 6-for-11 with four runs scored, two doubles, a triple, and three RBIs in three starts last season. 
• Melissa Masters has had the most success against UND over the last three seasons. She is hitting .450 (9-for-20) in eight games, making six starts. She has scored seven runs, doubled twice, hit a tripled, homered twice and driven in 10 runs, seven runs in three games last season. 

Season Notes
Big Sky Series Win
• Portland State picked up its first Big Sky series win taking 2-of-3 at Southern Utah April 1-2. The Vikings dropped the first game of the series before winning two straight to take the series. Portland State hit .375 as a team against SUU. Eight players tallied three-or-more hits in the series. 
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 record 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 of her career with wins over Hawaii (2/27) and Utah Valley (2/28). It was the first time a Viking recorded back-to-back complete game wins since Anna Bertrand recorded six straight compete-game wins in 2013. 
• Senior Karyn Wright posted the first back-to-back complete game wins of her career with wins over Seattle (3/22) and Weber State (3/25). 

2016 Weekly Recaps
Week 8 - Oregon (April 5) & North Dakota (April 8-9)
• Portland State opened the week with a pair of losses at No. 6 Oregon. The Ducks took the first game, 7-1, before finishing the doubleheader sweep with an 11-3 win in five innings. 
• Junior OF SheaLee Lindsey extended her hitting streak to six games, hitting safely in each game against the Ducks. 
Week 7 - Southern Utah (April 1-2)
• Portland State picked up its first Big Sky series win of the season, taking 2-of-3 from Southern Utah in Cedar City. The Vikings dropped the first game before winning the next two. 
• Portland State plated a season-high seven runs in the top of the sixth in the series finale. 
• Junior OF SheaLee Lindsey went 7-for-9, including seven-consecutive hits to start the series. 
• Sophomore IF Kortney Craker went 5-for-11 with four runs scored, three runs driven in, and her fourth home run of the season. 
• Seniors Candice Orozco and Ashley Smith each drove in four runs in the series. 
• Senior RHP Kristen Crawford went 1-0 and did not allow a run over six complete innings, all in relief. She allowed just two hits, walked two, and struck out three.  
Week 6 - Seattle (March 22) & Weber State (March 25-26)
• Portland State went 2-3 over the course of the week beginning with a doubleheader split with the Seattle Redhawks. Seattle took game one, 11-8, before the Vikings took game two, 2-1. 
• The Vikings then dropped their first Big Sky Conference series, 2-1, to the Southern Utah Thunderbirds. 
• Senior OF Candice Orozco led the Vikings with a .615 batting average on the week, going 8-for-13 at the plate. She scored three times, doubled three times, hit a home run, and drove in five on the week. 
• Portland State players tallied eight multi-hit games and six multi-RBI games on the week. 
• Senior RHP Karyn Wright put together the best two pitching performances of her career with back-to-back complete-game wins. She allowed just two earned runs over 16 innings on the week for a 0.88 ERA. 
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
• April 2 Portland State scored seven runs in the top of the sixth inning en route to their first run-rule win of the season (10-2 in six innings) to secure its first conference series win. 
• April 1 SheaLee Lindsey went 4-for-4 against Southern Utah, tied for most hits by a Viking this season. She started the Southern Utah series 7-for-7 at the plate.
• March 25 Karyn Wright led the Vikings to their first Big Sky Conference game of the season with a complete-game shutout of Weber State. 
• March 22 Karyn Wright picked up her first win of the season with a complete game against Seattle. She allowed just one run over seven innings for the Vikings' first home win of the season. 
• 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.