HILLSBORO, Ore. – North Dakota scored 10 runs over the final three innings to take the final game of a three-game series, 11-9, over Portland State Saturday afternoon at the Gordon Faber Recreation Complex.
 
Portland State (8-19 overall, 1-2 Big Sky Conference) led 9-1 with one out in the top of the fifth and had North Dakota (16-18, 2-1) down to its final two outs but the Fighting Hawks plated three runs in the inning to avoid the run rule.
 
North Dakota scored five more runs in the top of the sixth to tie the game at 9-9 entering the seventh inning. The Fighting Hawks added two more in the seventh to take their first lead since leading 1-0 in the first. They had a chance to tack on more but freshman RHP Haley Schimmel, the Vikings third pitcher of the day, induce a groundball out to third with the bases loaded to get out of the jam.
 
Down by two in the bottom of the seventh, the Vikings got their first two batters on base on an infield single and a walk. A wild pitch put two runners in scoring position. The next batter hit a tapper back to the pitcher but the runner on third broke for home and was thrown out in a rundown.
 
The runner at second drifted too far off the bag and too was caught in a rundown. Portland State quickly went from two in scoring position and no outs to a runner on first, via a fielder's choice, and two outs. The next batter struck out to end the game.
 
Portland State had five players tally multiple hits, while three drove in multiple runs on the day but it was not enough in the loss. The Vikings plated all nine of their runs over the first four innings but tallied just three hits over the final three innings as North Dakota made its comeback.
 
Alyssa Burk allowed just one earned run over the first four innings before allowing three in the third, two earned, which began the Fighting Hawk's rally. She allowed eight runs, seven earned on five hits over 6 1/3 innings. She walked seven and struck out four in the losing effort.
 
Portland State will be back in action Tuesday, March 28 for a non-conference doubleheader against the Boise State Broncos. First pitch is slated for 12 p.m. PT. The Vikings continue Big Sky play next weekend with a three-game set against the Idaho State Bengals.
 
NOTES:

• Tayler Gunesch extended her hitting streak to 13 games.
• Darian Lindsey recorded four walks in the game, which is the most by a Viking since Lexi Goranson walked four times against Boise State in 2015.