LAS VEGAS, Nev. – The Vikings dropped a pair of games to open the 2017 Rebel Classic, hosted by UNLV in Las Vegas, Nev. The Vikings opened the day with an 8-7 loss to New Mexico State before falling 7-4 to DePaul in the nightcap.
 
The Vikings offense continues to improve as the season progresses. Portland State hit .351 over the two games with five players recording multiple hits on the day. Senior IF Shae Nelson led the Vikings, going 5-for-7 (.714) with a double and two runs scored.
                                                                                                                                                                                                    
Portland State plated 11 runs over the two games, the most runs scored over a two-game span this season.
 
After missing the last two weeks with an injury, junior IF/P Kortney Craker was back in the starting lineup. She went 2-for-6 on the day with a pair of runs scored. She also came up with the Vikings' biggest hit, a bases-clearing three-run double against New Mexico State.
 
Portland State plated three runs in the top of the first in game one of the day against New Mexico State. Nelson led off the game with an infield single. Two batters later, Craker singled through the left side, putting two runners on. Kaela Morrow drove in Nelson with a single to right field. Alexis Morrison drove in both Craker and Morrow on a single to left to make it 3-0.
 
Game one starting pitcher Alyssa Burk threw a scoreless first inning before giving up four runs, three earned in the bottom of the second. The Vikings tied the game at 4-4 in the top of the third after Marissa Bruno tripled to lead off the inning before being driven in by Craker on a sacrifice fly to center field.
 
The Aggies retook the lead with a run in the bottom of the third to go up 5-4 at the end of three complete.
 
Craker moved into the pitching circle to begin the bottom of the fourth and worked around a walk and an error to throw a scoreless inning. She then drove in three runs with a double to center to put the Vikings up 7-5.
 
Craker was unable to hold on to the lead in the bottom of the inning, allowing three runs as the Aggies took the lead once again at 8-7.
 
The Vikings stranded two runners in scoring position in the top of the sixth and then went in order in the seventh to fall by the one-run margin.
 
Nelson went 3-for-3 with a pair of runs scored, while Bruno went 2-for-4 with two runs scored. Carker went 2-for-3 at the plate with a run scored and a career-high four RBIs. She was also tabbed with the loss after surrendering the lead in the bottom of the fifth inning. She gave up three earned on five hits over 1 1/3 innings to fall to 0-1 on the year.
 
The Vikings were held scoreless over the first three innings in game two as DePaul plated two runs in the top of the third off game two starter Emma Detamore.
 
Portland State scored three runs, two earned, in the bottom of the fourth to take a 3-2 lead. Pinch hitter Riley Casper drove in two with a double to left field to put the Vikings up by a run at the end of four.
 
The Vikings' lead did not last as the Blue Demons plated three runs, two unearned in the top of the fifth to retake the lead at 5-3. Korina Krueg doubled and then scored in the bottom of the fifth to pull the Vikings within one at 5-4.
 
That would be as close as Portland State would get as DePaul added two more runs in the top of the seventh to win by a final score of 7-4.
 
Portland State will take on host UNLV Saturday at 3:45 p.m. PT in its only game of the day.