HILLSBORO, Ore. – The Vikings snapped a seven-game slide with a 2-1 in in the series finale against the Montana Grizzlies Sunday afternoon at the Gordon Faber Recreation Complex in Hillsboro, Ore.
 
Portland State got just enough from its offense to win the game but it was the pitching of sophomore RHP Alyssa Burk that led the Vikings to the win. Burk threw a terrific game in game two of the series but picked up a tough loss as the Vikings dropped the game in extra-innings.
 
Burk picked up right where she left off in game two Sunday in game three. After an error allowed Montana's only run in the top of the first, Burk threw six scoreless innings to secure her third win of the season. She allowed five hits, walked four, and struck out nine batters for the second consecutive game. UM went 1-for-12 with runners on base and 1-for-10 with runners in scoring position.
 
Montana led off the game with a double to straight-away center filed off Burk. After a walk put two runners on, the next batter laid down a sacrifice bunt. The Vikings' throw to first went wide of the bag, which allowed the runner from second to come all the way around to score to give the Grizzlies a 1-0 lead.
 
Burk got the next batter to strike out looking for the first out of the inning. A sharp line drive to third loaded the bases. Burk induced a fly ball out to left but the runner was unable to advance from third keeping the bases loaded. Burk recorded her second strikeout of the inning to get out of the jam.
 
After Burk worked a 1-2-3 inning in the top of the second, Korina Krueg led off the bottom of the inning with a six-pitch walk. Kaela Morrow laid down a sacrifice bunt in an attempt to move Krueg to second. The Montana pitcher fielded the ball, and like the Vikings in the first, threw the ball wide of first base. The ball rolled down the right field fence, which allowed Krueg to come all the way around from first to score to tie the game at 1-1. Morrow moved to third on the play.
 
After the next batter recorded an out, Riley Casper singled down the left field line, driving in Morrow from third, and giving the Vikings a 2-1 lead. That would prove to be all the offense they would need.
 
Montana got two runners on in the top of the third but Burk recorded a strikeout and induced a fielder's choice to get out of the inning. She worked her way around a one-out walk in the top of the fourth to keep the Grizzlies off the scoreboard. Burk worked her way around a two-out triple in the top of the fifth with a swinging strikeout to keep Montana at bay.
 
The Grizzlies' leadoff batter reached on an error in the top of the sixth before moving to second on a sacrifice bunt. Burk did not let the error rattle her, getting the next batter to strike out swinging for the second out. She then induced a popup right back to her for the final out of the inning.
 
In the top of the seventh, Montana sent its 2-3-4 hitters to the plate. Burk induced a fly out to left for the first out. A single up the middle put the tying run on base. She came back with a huge strikeout of Delene Colburn, the Big Sky Conference's home run and RBI leader. Burk got a ground out to third for the final out of the game to finish out the win.
 
Burk was masterful against the Grizzlies, going 1-1 on the weekend. Over the three games, she allowed three runs, two earned, over 15 2/3 innings for a 0.89 ERA. She walked seven and struck out 19 batters, including nine apiece in games two and three. She held Montana to just eight hits on the weekend for a .148 batting average.
 
Burk and the Vikings will head to Grand Forks N.D. for a three-game series next Friday-Saturday against the North Dakota Fighting Hawks,