Portland State Vikings (13-29 overall) vs.
Utah Valley Wolverines (7-38 overall)
May 4, 2016 • Hillsboro, OR • Gordon Faber Recreation Complex
Live Stats | Live Video

Complete Release in PDF Format

This Week
Portland State hosts its final home games this Wednesday with a non-conference doubleheader against Utah Valley University. The first game of the day is slated for a 3 p.m. PT first pitch.  

Online
Live stats will be available for both games against Utah Valley at ViksLive.com. 

Live Video
A live video stream will be available for both games against Utah Valley at GoViks.com/Live. 

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 three-game Big Sky Conference series to Idaho State at home last weekend. The Vikings took the first game of the series by a score of 6-1. PSU fell in the second game, 11-1. The second game was postponed overnight due to inclement weather and field conditions. Idaho State took the series with a 6-0 win in the series finale. 
• Portland State hit .206 against Idaho State with a 4.42 ERA. 
• Ashley Smith hit .500 against the Bengals, including a 3-for-3 game. 
• Melissa Masters and Katherine Kramer each hit their first home runs of the season against ISU.

Singles
• Senior Candice Orozco extended her reached base streak to a team-high 12 games before having it broken against Idaho State. 
• Orozco leads the team with a .330 batting average this season. She also leads the team with a .500 slugging percentage and a .416 on base percentage. 
• Brianna Celaya leads the team with 25 RBIs on the season, 20 of which have come in Big Sky play. 
• Kortney Craker leads the team with 10 two-out RBIs on the year. 
• Karyn Wright made her 100th-career appearance for the Vikings in game three against Idaho State. She has made 60 career starts. 
• Portland State is hitting .281 for the season and .309 in Big Sky action. 
• After going without a home run for eight games, Portland State hit home runs in back-to-back games against Idaho State. 

Up Next
Portland State concludes regular season play this Friday and Saturday when they take on Sacramento State for a three-game series. The series begins Friday, May 6 with a doubleheader before concluding on Saturday, May 7. 

Big Sky Tournament Scenarios 
Portland State can clinch a berth in the upcoming Big Sky Conference Softball Tournament with a win at Sacramento State this weekend. Weber State leads the league with a 14-3 record in conference play. The Wildcats can lock up the regular season championship, and the right to host the tournament, with a win against Montana. 

Opponent Preview
Utah Valley Wolverines 
• Record: Utah Valley is 7-38 overall this season. The Wolverines are 0-9 at home, 3-15 on the road, and 4-14 at a neutral site. 
• Top Hitters: Brittney Vansway leads the team with a .336 batting average. She also leads the team with six home runs and 29 RBIs. Brianna Gatlin is second on the team with a .301 average at the plate. She is also second in RBIs with 26. 
• Top Pitcher: Bailey Moore has thrown a team high 109 2/3 innings this season. She is 3-22 with a 7.47 ERA. She has allowed 128 runs, 91 earned, walked 92 and struck out 40. She allowed seven runs, three earned against the Vikings' earlier this season. 
• Team Notes: Utah Valley opens the week with a doubleheader at Oregon Tuesday afternoon. The Wolverines are hitting .246 as a team and have been out-scored 312-to-167 on the year.   
• All-Time Series: Portland State leads the all-time series 13-7, going back to 2005. Portland State is just 1-3 all-time at home in the series with the last home games coming in 2011 when both teams were apart of the Pacific Coast Softball Conference. 
• This Season: Portland State and Utah Valley have already played three times this season, all at the Hawaii Invitational in late February. Portland State took the games by scores of 6-5, 8-7, and 4-3. Kortney Craker went 5-for-8 (.625) with four runs scored, two home runs, and four RBIs against UVU. Both of her home runs came in either walk-off or go-ahead fashion. 

Season Notes
Racking Up the Hits
Portland State recorded double-digit hits in three straight games against Northern Colorado. The Vikings recorded 15 hits in its last game at Northern Colorado (4/23), tied for second most in a game this season. 

I Want Candy
Senior OF Candice Orozco is having a career year as a senior. She leads the Vikings in batting average (.330), slugging percentage (.500), and on base percentage (.416). She is hitting a team-best .417 in Big Sky Conference play. Orozco is second on the team in runs batted in with 23. Eighteen of her 23 RBIs this season have come during Big Sky action. For the season, Orozco is hitting .441 with runners in scoring position and is 8-for-8 with a runner on third and less than two outs. 

Back-to-Back Complete Game Shutouts
Portland State threw back-to-back complete game shutouts against North Dakota (4/8). The last time the Vikings recorded the feat was against Weber State in 2012. 

Back-to-Back Series Wins
Portland State picked up its second-straight Big Sky Conference series win taking two of three from North Dakota. The Vikings out-scored 16-9 over the three games, including back-to-back complete-game shutouts to take the series.  

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 11 - Idaho State (April 29-30)
• Portland State dropped two-of-three last weekend at home against Idaho State. Vikings took the first game of the series by a score of 6-1. PSU fell in the second game of the series, 11-1. The second game was postponed overnight due to inclement weather and field conditions. Idaho State took the series with a 6-0 win in the series finale. 
• Portland State hit .206 against Idaho State with a 4.42 ERA. 
• Ashley Smith hit .500 against the Bengals, including a 3-for-3 game. 
• Melissa Masters and Katherine Kramer each hit their first home runs of the season against ISU.

Week 10 - Northern Colorado (April 22-23)
• Portland State dropped two-of-three last weekend at Northern Colorado. The Vikings dropped the opening game of the series, 10-4, before coming back to even the series with a 9-4 win in game two. The Bears took the rubber-match, 9-7, to take the series. 
• Portland State hit .398 as a team. Brianna Celaya and Ashley Smith each went 6-for-10 over the three games with Smith scoring five runs and Celaya driving in seven. 
• Portland State committed six errors over the three games, leading to six unearned runs. The Vikings' pitching staff allowed 23 runs, 17 earned, over 19 innings for a 6.26 ERA in the series. 

Week 9 - Oregon State (April 12) & Montana (April 16-17)
• Portland State went 0-4 during week nine of the season. The Vikings dropped a midweek game at Oregon State before being swept in a three-game series at Montana. 
• Candice Orozco went 4-for-9 over the four games with a double and two RBIs. 

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. 
• Portland State took its three-game series from North Dakota, taking two of three. The Vikings out-scored 16-9 over the three games, including back-to-back complete-game shutouts to take the series.
• Senior OF Brianna Celaya went 7-for-10 (.700) with five runs scored, three doubles, a home run, and six RBIs against UND. 

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 29 Melissa Masters hit her first home run of the season, fifth of her career, a two-run shot in game one against Idaho State. 
Katherine Kramer hit her first home run of the season, a solo shot in game two against Idaho State. 
• April 9 Brianna Celaya hit .700 (7-for-10) with five runs scored, three doubles, a home run, and six RBIs over the three-game series with North Dakota. 
• April 8 Karyn Wright and Meagan Hendrix combined for back-to-back complete-game shutouts to take the series from North Dakota. It was the first time the Vikings recorded back-to-back complete-game shutouts since the 2012 season. 
• 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 Craker 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.