GRAND FORKS, N.D. – Alyssa Burk allowed just one earned run over 16 innings pitched but the Vikings were only able to pick up one win, splitting a doubleheader with North Dakota Friday afternoon in Grand Forks, N.D.
 
Burk, a sophomore right-handed pitcher from Fontana, Calif., pitched masterfully throughout both games, throwing her third and fourth consecutive complete games. She threw a complete-game, 10 innings, shutout in the first game of the series for her fourth win of the year. She then allowed just one earned run in game two but a five-run, all unearned, bottom of the fifth allowed the Fighting Hawks to come back and win game two.
 
Going back to last week, Burk gave one run in the top of the first to Montana. She then threw six-straight shutout innings to pick up the win in the series finale. She then threw 10 shutout innings in game one against North Dakota before throwing three shutout innings in game two to extend her scoreless-inning streak to 19.
 
Over her last four games, Burk has given up just nine runs, three earned, on 18 hits over 31.0 innings pitched. She has walked 14 and struck out 26. Opponents are hitting just .168 off Burk over that span, .133 (4-for-30) with runners in scoring position, and are hitless (0-for-6) with runners on third and less than two outs. Unfortunately for Burk and the Vikings, she is 2-2 over that stretch.
 
It took until the top of the 10th in game one for the Vikings' bats came alive against UND's Kaylin VanDomelen. Freshman IF Korina Krueg singled through the left side to lead off the 10th. Kaela Morrow dropped down a perfect sacrifice bunt to moved Krueg into scoring position with one out.
 
Marissa Bruno singled to left field to put runners on the corners. Katherine Kramer took a 1-2 pitch and drove it through the left side to bring in Bruno from third and give the Vikings a 1-0 lead. SheaLee Lindsey dropped down a beautiful bunt, which froze right on the third base line, to load the base. Shae Nelson then singled down the left field line to make it a 2-0 game.
 
Senior IF Celena Carrisosa, who came into the day leading the Vikings with a .375 batting average in Big Sky play, doubled to deep center to clear the bases and give the Vikings a commanding 5-0 lead in the 10th.
 
Burk gave up a one-out walk in the bottom of the 10th but then got a pair of fly outs to record her first complete-game shutout of the season. She threw a career-high 10 innings on 147 pitches, 98 strikes. She gave up just four hits, walked five, and struck out six.
 
Burk had two runners on in the bottom of the first but got out of the inning unscathed. After that, she settled down. She pitched perfect innings in the second and third and worked around a single in the fourth. She went 1-2-3 in the fifth and then again worked around two base runners in the bottom of the sixth.
 
After another 1-2-3 inning in the bottom of the seventh, the Fighting Hawks made it interesting in the eight. A single and a sacrifice bunt put a runner at second with one out. The runner moved to third on a controversial dropped third strike, which also allowed the batter to reach base to put runners on the corners with one out.
 
The next batter lined out to Nelson at third for the second out. After an intentional walk to VanDomelen loaded the bases, Burk got out of it with a soft tapper back to herself for the final out of the inning.
 
Burk set the Fighting Hawks down in order in the ninth and then worked around a one-out walk in the 10th to secure the series opening win in game one.
 
Burk got the ball again in game two and got out of another bases-loaded jam in the bottom of the first.
 
Krueg walked with one out in the top of the second in game two. She moved to third on a single to right field off the bat of Morrow. Bruno singled up the middle to drive in the game's first run and put the Vikings up 1-0. Morrow went to third on the play. Kramer drove in Morrow on a single down the right field line to make it 2-0 Vikings. Bruno attempted to score all the way from third but was thrown out at the plate for the second out of the inning.
 
Lindsey singled through the right side to again put two runners on before Nelson doubled to left field, driving in Kramer and Lindsey to put Portland State up 4-0.
 
The Vikings stranded a runner a third in both the third and fourth innings, which would prove costly in the end.
 
North Dakota got its first run of the day after a single and a double off Burk in the bottom of the fourth to make it 4-1. The Fighting Hawks led off the bottom of the fifth by reaching on a fielding error by the Vikings' second baseman. The error proved costly as North Dakota went on to plate five unearned runs in the fifth to take its first lead of the day at 6-4.
 
After going in order in the top of the sixth, the Vikings got one hit in the top of the seventh but were unable to tie or take the lead and fell 6-4 to even the series at one game apiece.
 
Burk was tabbed with the tough loss after allowing six runs, only one earned, on seven hits over 6.0 innings. She walked three and struck out two.
 
Lindsey went 3-for-6 on the day with a pair of runs scored. Bruno went 3-for-7 with a run scored, a double, and a run batted in. Morrow, Krueg, Kramer, Tayler Gunesch, and Nelson all tallied two hits on the day. Carrisosa had only one hit but it was a big one, a three-run double in the top of the 10th in game one.
 
Portland State will go for the series win Saturday in the rubber-match against North Dakota. The game is slated for a 1 p.m. CT/11 a.m. PT first pitch.
 
NOTES:
• Alyssa Burk's scoreless-inning streak was snapped at 19.
• Over the past five games, Burk has lowered her ERA by 2.22 points after allowing three earned runs over 31 2/3 innings pitched.
• Portland State played its third extra-inning game in four games.