LAS VEGAS, Nev. – The Vikings launched three home runs in a losing effort to New Mexico State before falling to DePaul on their first day of play at the Rebel Classic hosted by UNLV in Las Vegas, Nev.
 
New Mexico State outlasted Portland State to take the first game 11-8. The Vikings then suffered their second shutout of the season in a 6-0 loss to DePaul.
 
The Vikings were hot at the plate in game one, hitting .412 (14-for-34) against the Aggies. In the second game against the Blue Demons, it was another story. Portland State went just 3-for-25 (.120) at the plate and were 0-for-11 with runners on base.
 
Junior Kaela Morrow hit .444 on the day going 4-for-9 with two runs scored and her team-best fifth home run. Unfortunately, she did all of her damage in game one and was held hitless in game two.
 
Rachel Menlove and Tayler Gunesch each went 3-for-7 at the plate over the two games. Menlove hit her third home run of the season in game one before getting a single and a double in game two.
 
New Mexico State plated a pair of runs in the top of the first of game one with a two-run home run. Portland State countered with a two-run shot of the bat of Menlove in the bottom of the inning. It was her third home run of the year and her 12th and 13th RBIs.
 
The Aggies took advantage of a pair of miscues by the Vikings and plated five runs, two earned, on just one hit to take a 7-2 lead.
 
Sydnee Machado led off the bottom of the second with a single through the left side. An infield single and a hit by pitch loaded the bases for Portland State. The next batter grounded into a double play for the first two outs of the inning but Machado was able to score on the play to make it a 7-3 game.
 
New Mexico State plated one run in the third and three more in the top of the fifth, two of which were unearned, to go up 11-3.
 
In the bottom of the fifth, it was the Vikings' turn to take advantage of a miscue by the Aggies. They loaded the bases on a single, hit by pitch, and an error by the shortstop. Back-to-back groundouts played a pair of runs before a third run scored on a passed ball. Morrow hit a solo home run with two outs to make it an 11-7 game at the end of the fifth.
 
Ashley Doyle hit her second home run of the year in the sixth to make it 11-8.  
 
After throwing a scoreless top of the seventh, the Vikings had back-to-back bunt singles to put two runners on. That is all they would get as the next three batters recorded outs to end the game.
 
Morrow went 4-for-4 with two runs scored and a run batted in on her team-best fifth home run of the season.
 
DePaul took an early 1-0 lead with an unearned run after the leadoff hitter reached on an error before coming around to score on a sacrifice fly.
 
Menlove got the Vikings first hit of the game with a leadoff single to center in the second. The Vikings got two runners on with two outs but were unable to score a run.
 
Portland State had two in scoring position with one out in the fourth but a swinging strikeout and a fly out ended their scoring opportunity. The Vikings had at least one runner in scoring position over the next three innings but stranded them all on base.
 
Meanwhile, DePaul hit a three-run home run in the fifth before adding two more in the sixth to take the game 6-0.
 
The Vikings will play just one game Saturday against host UNLV. First pitch is slated for 3:45 p.m. PT.