SEATTLE, Wash. – Sunday proved to be a tough day at the ballpark for the Portland State softball team, as it dropped both games on its final day at the Seattle U Invitational. The Vikings fell, 5-4, to North Dakota, before falling to host Seattle, 7-1.
 
Portland State (9-15 overall) once again struggled to manufacture runs, hitting .200 with five runs scored over the two games. The Vikings were able to take advantage of their opponent's errors to score runs but were unable to post any earned runs on the day. 
 
Rachel Menlove went 4-for-6 with a two-run home run to lead the Vikings at the plate. Marissa Bruno was the only other Viking with multiple hits, going 2-for-5. 
 
North Dakota took a 4-0 lead with four runs to open the bottom of the second inning, which forced PSU starting pitcher Haley Schimmel from the game. Serafine Parrish came on in relief and recorded three straight outs to stop the bleeding and get out of the inning.
 
After a scoreless third, The Vikings took advantage of three UND errors to plate four runs to tie the game at 4-4. Menlove capped off the scoring for the Vikings with a two-run shot to left-center to tie the game. 
 
UND plated a run off Parrish with a two-out RBI single in the bottom of the fourth to take a 5-4 lead. PSU, which was unable to plate another run over the final three innings to tie the game, to fall by the one-run margin. Parrish, despite allowing just one earned on four hits over five innings, was tabbed with the loss. 
 
Seattle plated seven runs over the first two innings off Katie Schroeder to take a commanding 7-0 lead at the end of two. Parrish came on in relief again to start the third inning. She allowed four hits over the final four innings but did not allow a run, getting out of a bases-loaded jam in the sixth to hold the Redhawks at bay. 
 
The Vikings scattered six hits over the course of the game but could not string enough hits together to start any kind of rally. After being held scoreless for the first five innings, PSU plated an unearned run in the top of the sixth to get on the board. The one run would not be enough as the Vikings fell by the final score of 7-1. 
 
Schroeder picked up the loss after allowing seven runs, four earned, on six hits over just two innings. Parrish was tremendous in relief for the second straight game. She threw four scoreless innings in the no decision. 
 
Over her last five appearances, Parrish has allowed just five earned over 19 2/3 innings for a 1.78 ERA. She struck out nine and walked just two. 
 
The Vikings will look to right the ship next weekend when they open Big Sky Conference play at Idaho State. The three-game series will begin with a doubleheader on Saturday, March 23 before finishing with a single game on Sunday, March 24.