HILLSBORO, Ore. – The Vikings claimed their first Big Sky Conference series of the season with a 5-0 win over the Idaho State Bengals behind a complete-game shutout by Alyssa Burk Saturday afternoon at the Gordon Faber Recreation Complex in Hillsboro, Ore.
 
Burk followed up a tremendous 10-inning complete-game win Saturday with her first complete-game shutout of the season. She made quick work of the Bengals, allowing just one hit over the first five innings. Idaho State got two runners in scoring position in the top of the sixth but Burk got out of it with a soft liner to short.
 
Idaho State got a one-out single in the top of the seventh before Burk induced a fly ball out for the second out of the inning. She then closed out the game with her ninth strikeout of the day. She allowed just three hits over the seven innings, walked one, and struck out nine. Idaho State was only able to get multiple runners on base just once.
 
On the weekend, Burk appeared in all three games and went 2-0 with a pair of complete games. She allowed one earned run on seven hits over 18 1/3 innings for an 0.38 ERA. She walked three and struck out 22 for a 7.33 strikeout-to-walk ratio. The Bengals hit .115 over the three games with one extra-base hit.
 
With Burk dealing in the circle, the Vikings knew that they had to get some run support for their pitcher.  
 
After going in order in the bottom of the first, Rachel Menlove led off the second with a double down the right field line. She came in to score the game's first run on a single through the right side by Alexis Morrison to put the Vikings up 1-0 at the end of the second.
 
After a scoreless third, The Vikings plated four unearned runs in the bottom of the fourth to break the game wide open. Morrison worked a one-out walk before stealing second. Morrison moved to third on a Kortney Craker singled to the shortstop. Craker then stole second to put two runners in scoring position.
 
After the next batter struck out swinging, Marissa Bruno reached on a fielding error on the infield, which allowed Morrison to come in to score to give the Vikings a 2-0 lead. After a Sydnee Machado walk loaded the bases, Tayler Gunesch singled through the left side to drive in Craker.
 
Through the first two games of the series the Vikings struggled to come up with the big hit that would blow a game open. Darian Lindsey changed that with a two-run double down the left field line to make it a 5-0 game at the end of the fourth.
 
That would be all the run support Burk would need as she closed out the complete-game win to give the Vikings the two games to one series win.
 
The win could come up big for the Vikings in their pursuit of a conference tournament berth. Portland State is now in a four-way tie for third with a 3-3 mark. Sacramento State, Weber State, and Montana are all 3-3 through two weeks of league play. The win also gives the Vikings the tiebreaker over Idaho State.
 
Portland State will face a big non-conference test this week as they head to No. 2 Oregon for a doubleheader on Tuesday, April 3. The Vikings hit the road next weekend for the first of three-straight Big Sky road series beginning at Sacramento State on Friday, April 6.