GREELEY, Colo. – The Vikings swept a weather-shortened two-game series against Northern Colorado with a pair of wins Saturday afternoon in Greeley, Colo. Portland State ran way with game one, winning 12-4 in five innings, before plating two runs in the top of the seventh to take game two, 3-2. 
 
The two wins over Northern Colorado (23-22 overall, 5-6 Big Sky Conference) gives Portland State (12-27, 5-6) its second conference series win of the season and its first sweep, albeit in a shortened series. 
 
The Portland State bats came alive in game one. The Vikings plated 12 runs on 11 hits with 11 runs batted in. Eight players tallied a hit, eight players scored a run, and seven players drove in a run. There were four multi-run games, three-multi-hit games, and two multi-RBI games, which included a career-high four RBIs for sophomore Riley Casper. 
 
The bats cooled off a bit in game two but the Vikings still hit .345 and outscored the Bears 15-6 over the two games. 
 
Alyssa Burk continued her impressive conference season with a pair of wins on the day. She allowed just two earned runs on nine hits over 10 1/3 innings for a 1.35 ERA. She is now 5-3 in conference play with a 1.98 ERA and a .174 opponent batting average. 
 
The Vikings took an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Darian Lindsey doubled with one out before being driven in two batters later on a Rachel Menlove RBI single up the middle. 
 
Burk worked around a pair of walks in each of the first two innings to maintain the Vikings' one-run lead. 
 
Portland State broke the game wide open with five runs in the top of the third. The Vikings loaded the bases on a pair of walks and a fielder's choice in start the inning. After a pitching change, Alexis Morrison singled up the middle to bring in Lindsey from third to make it 2-0. The next batter put the ball into play but the lead runner was thrown out at the plate for the first out. 
 
Casper cleared the bases with a three-run triple to center field to make it 5-0. She came in after Jessica Flanagan reached on an error to make it a six-run lead heading to the bottom of the third. 
 
After Burk gave up a one-out double to right in the bottom half, Menlove threw out the runner attempting to steal third for the second out. Burk then induced a tapper back to her for the final out of the frame. 
 
With one out in the top of the fourth, the Vikings loaded the bases once again with three-straight singles. Ashley Doyle drove in a run on a fielder's choice before Casper drove in her career-high fourth RBI of the game with a bases-loaded walk to make it 7-0. The next batter reached on another fielder's choice as the lead runner was cut down at the plate for the second out. 
 
Marissa Bruno singled to right to drive in two more runs. A single up the middle by Tayler Gunesch drove in the Vikings' 11th run of the game. A single down the left field line loaded the bases once again for Morrow. She worked a four-pitch walk to make it a 12-0 game heading to the bottom of the fourth. 
 
Emma Detamore came into pitch in the bottom of the fourth and walked the first two batter of the inning. The Bears were able to plate their first run of the game in the inning to make it 12-1 heading to the fifth.
 
After the Vikings went in order in the top of the inning, Northern Colorado plated three more runs off Detamore to make it a 12-4 game and put the run-rule victory in question. Burk came back into the game, and after giving up a walk, induced a ground ball out for the final out of the game.  
 
After never leading in game one, Northern Colorado took an early 1-0 lead on a solo home run in the bottom of the second. The Bears added a run in the third to go up by two. 
 
The Vikings got a run back in the top of the fourth. Morrow led off the inning with an infield single. After moving to second on a wild pitch, she came in on a Kortney Craker RBI single to make it a 2-1 game. 
 
That remained the score as the game headed to the top of the seventh. Down to their final three outs, Bruno led off the seventh with a single to left center. After the next two batters recorded outs, the Vikings were down to their final out. Morrow stepped up and doubled to center to drive in Bruno to tie the game at 2-2. 
 
Menlove then traded places with Morrow with her own double to center to drive in the game-winning run and give the Vikings the 3-2 lead. 
 
Burk headed to the bottom of the seventh with the lead and three outs to get. After the Bears led off the bottom of the seventh with an infield single, the Vikings turned a 6-3 double play for the first two outs. Burk then induced a fly ball out for the final out of the game. 
 
It was the Vikings' second win of the season when trailing after the sixth inning. 
 
Morrow went 2-for-4 with two runs scored in game two, while Burk picked up her second win on the day. 
 
Portland State hits the road for five games next week beginning with a non-conference doubleheader at Oregon State on Tuesday, April 17. The Vikings then head to Missoula, Mont. for a three-game Big Sky series against the Grizzlies.