SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Despite dropping a pair of games to the Sacramento State Hornets Friday afternoon in Sacramento, Calif., the Vikings clinched a berth into the 2016 Big Sky Conference Softball Championship next week, thanks to a pair of losses by both North Dakota and Northern Colorado.
 
The Vikings will be either the fifth or the sixth seed in next week's championship depending on the results of Saturday's games. It will be the Vikings' first appearance at the championship since winning it all in 2013.
 
The Vikings dropped their first game of the day 10-2 in six innings before falling 8-5 in game two.
 
Senior IF Ashley Smith went 3-for-5 on the day with a run scored. She doubled twice and drove in four runs. She also walked twice for a .714 on base percentage. Junior IF Shae Nelson went 4-for-7 with a pair of runs scored on the day.
 
Game 1 – Sacramento State 10, Portland State 2 (5 Innings)
 
After a scoreless first inning, Sacramento State got on the board first with a run off game one starter Meagan Hendrix in the bottom of the second. The Hornets added another run in the bottom of the third to go up 2-0 at the end of three complete.
 
Sacramento State put together a six-run inning in the bottom of the fourth off Hendrix and PSU relief pitcher Kristen Crawford to go up 8-0 after four.
 
Hendrix singled with one out in the top of the fifth inning for her second hit of the game. She reached second on a throwing error by the Hornets' shortstop to put two runners on. Shae Nelson singled through the right side to load the bases with one out.
 
Smith then worked a five-pitch walk to drive in Hendrix from third. Two batters later, Brianna Celaya was hit by a pitch to bring in another run to make it an 8-2 game with two outs and the bases loaded.
 
Unfortunately for the Vikings, the next batter flied out for the final out of the inning, stranding three runners.
 
The Hornets plated a run in the fifth and another run in the sixth to go up 10-2 and win via the run rule.
 
Hendrix was tabbed with the loss in the game, falling to 4-11 on the season. She allowed three earned on four hits over the first three innings of the game. She did not walk a batter and struck out one.
 
Nelson and Hendrix each went 2-for-3 in the first game of the day.
 
Game 2 – Sacramento State 8, Portland State 5.
 
Smith doubled to left center with two outs in the top of the first in game two. She stole third before scoring on a throwing error to give the Vikings' an early 1-0 lead.
 
The lead did not last long as the Hornets tied the game with a run in the bottom of the inning. Just like in game one, Sacramento State put together a huge inning, plating six runs in the bottom of the second inning off game two starter Karyn Wright to go up 7-1.
 
Portland State got back a run in the top of the third after Nelson singled with one out before bring brought home on a double by Celaya. After Sacramento State scored a run in the third, the Vikings cut further into the lead in the fourth when Smith doubled for the second time in the game, this time with the bases loaded.
 
Smith's bases clearing three-run double in the fourth make it an 8-5 game.
 
PSU relief pitcher Alyssa Burk entered the game with two outs in the second inning for Wright. She allowed one unearned run over the final 4 1/3 innings of the game to keep the Hornets at bay.
 
Portland State had runners at first and second with one out in the seventh with the tying run at the plate. Unfortunately, they were unable to execute a double steal with Smith being cut down at third for the second out of the inning. The batter then struck out for the final out of the game as the Vikings fell by the final 8-5 margin.
 
Smith went 3-for-4 with a run scored and three RBIs for the Vikings in game two. Nelson went 2-for-4 with two runs scored while Celaya went 2-for-4 with an RBI.
 
Wright picked up the loss, falling to 5-9 on the season. She allowed seven runs, four earned, on six hits over 1 2/3 innings. She walked two and did not record a strikeout.
 
Sacramento State improved to 25-20 overall and 14-6 in Big Sky Conference play. Portland State fell to 14-32 and 7-13.
 
Despite the two losses on the day, the Vikings clinched a spot in next week's Big Sky Softball Tournament following a pair of North Dakota and Northern Colorado losses on the day. Southern Utah also secured its spot in the tournament with two wins over North Dakota.
 
With their two wins, the Hornets are a win away, with a win by Montana over Weber State Saturday, from claiming a share of the Big Sky regular season title and the right to host the tournament.
 
The regular season finale for the Vikings and Hornets will be Saturday with first pitch slated for 12 p.m. PT.