SAN DIEGO, Calif. – The Vikings opened the 2019 season with a pair of heartbreaking one-run losses Friday at the USD Tournament in San Diego, Calif. Portland State opened the year with a 9-8 loss to UC Riverside before falling, 3-2, to host San Diego.
 
The Vikings came out swinging in the first inning of game one against the UC Riverside Highlanders. They plated five runs on four hits. Marissa Bruno led off the game with a walk before Jessica Flanagan drove her in for the game's first run with a double to center field. Flanagan's double improved her hitting streak to nine games dating back to last season. 
 
Back-to-back hit batters loaded the bases with nobody out. After the Vikings grounded into a fielder's choice for the first out of the inning, Alexis Morrison walked in the second run of the inning. Alexxis Ponce followed that up with a single to center that plated another run to make it 3-0. Newcomer Sala Pedebone picked up her first career hit as a Viking, which drove in two more to make it 5-0 heading to the bottom of the inning. 
 
However, the Vikings' lead was short lived. The Highlanders plated six earned runs in the bottom half of the inning off PSU starting pitcher Alyssa Burk. Burk lasted only 2/3 of an inning before being relieved by Haley Schimmel who was able to get out of the inning without any more damage done. 
 
Portland State tied the game at 6-6 with an RBI double off the bat of Riley Casper. UC Riverside added two more in the bottom of the third to make it an 8-6 game. After a scoreless fourth, Casper hit her second consecutive RBI double to pull the Vikings within one. 
 
Morrison drove in the eighth run of the game for the Vikings when she reached on a fielding error by the Highlander's short stop to once again even the game. 
 
After allowing a leadoff walk, Schimmel recorded back-to-back outs in the bottom of the sixth. Unfortunately for her and the Vikings, the next batter hit the ball back to her and she threw it errantly to first. The throw allowed the runner to reach safely and the base runner to score from second for the go-ahead run. Neither team scored in the seventh as the Vikings dropped their season opener, 9-8. 
 
Casper matched her career high with three hits in the game. Five Vikings recorded multiple hits in the game, while three tallied multiple-RBI games. 
 
Schimmel was tabbed with the loss after allowing three runs, one earned, over 5 1/3 innings. She allowed five hits, walked three, and struck out one. 
 
After scoring eight runs in the first game of the day, the Vikings found themselves in a pitching duel in game two. Katie Schroeder got the ball for her first career start for the Vikings. After allowing a leadoff single, she set down the next eight batters she saw to opened the game with four scoreless innings.  
 
The Vikings too were scoreless through the first four innings before plating two runs in the top of the fifth. Bruno hit a one-out single before stealing second to get into scoring position. Darian Lindsey then drove her in for the game's first run. Kaela Morrow then tripled down the right field line to make it 2-0. 
 
San Diego plated a run in the bottom of the fifth before scoring an unearned run to tie the game in the bottom of the sixth. 
 
The Vikings went in order in the top of the seventh moving to the bottom half of the inning. Schroeder allowed a leadoff double but induced a popup to the catcher and a line out to short for the first two outs. The next batter singled up the middle, which scored the runner from second to give the Toreros the walk-off 3-2 victory. 
 
Despite throwing a tremendous game for the Vikings, Schroeder picked up the loss. She allowed three runs, two earned, on seven hits. She struck out three and did not walk a batter. She was extremely efficient, throwing 82 pitches with 61 strikes (74 percent). 
 
The Vikings will play two more games Saturday at the USD Tournament beginning with the Cal Poly Mustangs at 9 a.m. PT. They will then face San Diego one more time. First pitch with the Toreros is slated for 2 p.m. PT.