HONOLULU – The Portland State softball team hit two home runs in game two of the Hawaii Invitational, but it wasn't enough as the Vikings fell to Iowa 8-3 at the Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium on Friday afternoon.
The Vikings drop to 3-9 on the season and 0-2 at the Invitational while Iowa improves to 8-2 on the year.
Iowa led off the second inning with a single to center field before a walk put two on with one out in the inning. The Hawkeyes scored two runs after a single forced a throwing error at third base while a groundout brought in the runner from third, giving Iowa a 3-0 lead.
The Vikings had an opportunity in the bottom of the third inning when
Tayler Gunesch hit a lead-off single to left field.
Marissa Bruno got on base after a hit-by-pitch while
Darian Lindsey forced a walk to load the bases, but three straight strikeouts kept PSU off the board.
Lindsey has reached base safely in the last eight games, holding the longest active streak on the team.
The Hawkeyes added another run in the fourth, hitting an RBI single to the right side, taking a 4-0 advantage midway through the contest.
Bruno led off the fifth inning for the Vikings, getting on base after a bunt to third base.
Emily Johansen cut the lead in half, hitting her fourth home run of the season, a two-run shot to left field. Johansen has recorded at least one hit in her last four games, leading the team with 13 RBIs and 22 total bases.
Iowa answered back in the top of the sixth, hitting three singles in the inning to go up 6-2, while a two-RBI double in the seventh gave the Hawkeyes their largest lead at 8-2.
Oliva Grey started in the circle for Portland State, tossing 6.2 innings with five earned runs off of 13 hits while totaling six strikeouts on the day.
Bruno recorded her second hit of the game in the bottom of the seventh, hitting a solo home run to right field for her first of the season. Her and Lindsey each recorded two hits while Johansen tallied two RBIs to lead the Vikings.
Portland State continues action tomorrow with a twin bill, playing Kansas City at noon PT, followed by a rematch with Iowa scheduled for 2 p.m. PT.
