CEDAR CITY, Utah – Portland State dropped both ends of a doubleheader to open the three-game series with Southern Utah Saturday afternoon in Cedar City, Utah. The Thunderbirds took the first game, 4-3, before taking game two, 13-4 in five innings. 
 
Portland State (16-33, overall, 9-10 Big Sky Conference) entered the series having already clinched a bid in next week's Big Sky Softball Tournament. After dropping both games Saturday, Portland State sits fifth in conference play, percentage points behind Montana and ahead of Northern Colorado. A win in Sunday's regular season finale will move the Vikings into fourth but a loss will drop them to sixth. 
 
The Vikings struggled in all three phases Saturday against the Thunderbirds. Portland State hit .283 as a team, compared to .413 by the T-Birds, and were outscored 17-7 over the two games. The Vikings also committed three errors in game two, which led to four unearned errors. 
 
There were bright spots offensively for the Vikings. SO IF Darian Lindsey went 3-for-4 with two walks, a double, a run scored, and three driven in to lead the team. SO IF Jessica Flanagan extended her hitting streak to a career-high five games after going 3-for-3 in game one and 1-for-3 in game two. 
 
SO OF Marissa Bruno went 3-for-6 with three runs scored and a triple as she continued to hit well out of the leadoff spot. The rest of the team combined to go just 3-for-30 (.100) at the plate. 
 
A bunt single followed by a double gave Southern Utah an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first off Portland State starting pitcher Alyssa Burk. Burk struck out the final batter of the first before striking out the side in the second. 
 
Portland State took advantage of a Southern Utah error and evened the game on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Rachel Menlove in the top of the third.  
 
After a perfect third inning, Burk gave up two runs in the bottom of the fourth as Southern Utah took a 3-1 lead. Portland State picked up a run on a passed ball with a runner at third in the top of the fifth to make it 3-2. 
 
Southern Utah picked up an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth to take a 4-2 lead. Bruno led off the top of the seventh with a triple to right center before coming in to score on an infield single by Lindsey to pull the Vikings' within one. 
 
A sacrifice bunt and an error put two runners on with one out. The next two batter made good contact but both balls went right at SUU players for the final two outs of the game. 
 
Burk allowed four earned runs on six hits over six innings. She walked one and struck out eight in the loss. 
 
Lindsey drove in two with two outs in the top of the first of game two to give the Vikings the early 2-0 lead. 
 
The lead would not last as the Portland State defense made three errors in the bottom of the first, which led to four unearned runs. Southern Utah blew the game wide open with eight runs on eight hits in the bottom of the third to take a commanding 12-2 lead. 
 
Ashley Doyle plated two runs for the Vikings in the top of the fourth on a double to left center but it would be not enough to spark a rally. 
 
SUU added a run in the bottom of the fourth to take game two 13-4 in five innings. It is the first Big Sky series win of the season for the Thunderbirds. Sunday's series finale is slated for a 12 p.m. PT first pitch.