PHOENIX, Ariz. – Sophomore RHP Alyssa Burk struck out a career-high 11 batters as the Vikings got into the win column with a 4-3 win over the Rhode Island Rams in their GCU Invitational finale Sunday morning in Phoenix, Ariz.
 
Portland State (1-9 overall) got production from up and down its lineup as the Vikings plated four runs on a season-high 10 hits. Eight players recorded at least one hit with four different players accounting for the team's four RBIs.
 
Senior Katherine Kramer picked up her third multi-hit game of the year, going 2-for-4 with a run batted in. Freshman Hannah Self earned her first multi-hit game, going 2-for-4 with a run scored and a run batted in.
 
The Vikings plated a run in the top of the first inning to take a 1-0 lead. Freshman Marissa Bruno singled through the right side with one out in the top of the first. Two batters later, Kramer drove her in with a single up the middle with two outs.
 
Burk started the game just the way she would finish it, with a strikeout. She allowed two base runners over the first two innings before Rhode Island (1-9) evened the game at 1-1 with an unearned run in the bottom of the third.
 
Self led off the top of the fourth with her first career triple, the first by a Viking this season, down the right field line. After the next two batters recorded outs, SheaLee Lindsey drove in Self from third with a single down the left field line.
 
Lindsey stole second before being driven in by Shae Nelson who doubled down the right field line to put the Vikings up 3-1. In the top of the fifth, Tayler Gunesch led off with a single through the left side. She moved to second after a bunt single by Kramer.
 
After Alexis Morrison moved both runners up 60 feet with a sacrifice bunt, Self doubled to right center to drive in Gunesch. Kramer tried to score from second but was gunned down at the plate but the Vikings led 4-1.
 
Burk stranded a Rams runner at third base in the bottom of the fifth and then a runner at second in the bottom of the sixth as she maintained the Vikings' lead.
 
Rhode Island led off the bottom of the seventh with a single through the right side. After Burks' 10th strikeout, which tied her previous career high, the next batter drove in the runner to make it a 4-2 game. Burk induced a pop out to first for the second out of the inning.
 
The Rams made it a one run game after another single drove in a run to make it 4-3. Burk struck out the final batter of the game on four pitches for her career-high 11th strikeout, which secured the Vikings' first win of the season.
 
Burk picked up her first win of the year, improving to 1-4. She threw her second complete game and matched her career high with 7.0 innings pitched. She allowed just three runs, two earned, on 11 hits. She walked only one to go along with her 11 strikeouts.
 
Over the last two games, Portland State is hitting .407 (11-for-27) with two outs, including six two-out RBIs. The Vikings are also hitting .350 (7-for-20) with runners in scoring position over the last two.
 
Portland State heads to Stockton, Calif. next week for the University of the Pacific Invitational. The Vikings will take on East Carolina twice, Pacific twice, and Seton Hall once.
 
NOTES:
• First-year Head Coach Meadow McWhorter picked up her first Division I win.
• Hannah Self hit her first career triple, the first by a Viking this year.
• Self has yet to hit a single this season. She has a double, triple, and a home run on the year.
• Tayler Gunesch hit .462 (6-for-13) with a run scored and a run batted in at the GCU Invitational.
• Alyssa Burk recorded a career-high 11 strikeouts against Rhode Island.