SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – The Portland State softball team split a doubleheader on the opening day of the Gaucho Classic, defeating host Santa Barbara 11-7 before falling 2-1 against Bradley on Friday at the Campus Diamond.
The Vikings move to 4-13 on the season, snapping a seven-game losing skid the in process.
Marissa Bruno led the Vikings at the plate, finishing the day with six combined hits including two doubles and two triples, while
Emily Johansen hit her fifth home run of the season, ending with two RBIs.
GAME ONE: Portland State 11, Santa Barbara 7
PSU jumped out ahead against the Gauchos as
Tayler Gunesch led off the first winning with a single to the right side before coming around to score on an RBI single from
Darian Lindsey. Johansen hit a sacrifice fly moments later to score Bruno, giving the Vikings a 2-0 lead after one.
The Vikings added two more runs in the second inning when Gunesch doubled to left center to bring in
Riley Casper who reached on a fielder's choice. Bruno hit her first extra-base hit, a double to left, to score Gunesch as PSU took a 4-0 lead.
In the third,
Ashley Doyle reached base after forcing a walk followed by a double by
Rachel Menlove to put two on base. Doyle scored on a throwing error by UCSB while Gunesch hit a sac-fly to score Menlove. Bruno ended the inning with a two-RBI triple to give the Vikings a commanding 8-0 lead after three innings.
Santa Barbara made some noise in the second half of the game, scoring two runs in the bottom of the third inning, hitting a two-run homer to make it 8-2. The Gauchos added three more runs in the fourth, capped off by a two-RBI triple before a sac-fly got them to within three runs of the lead at 8-5.
Katie Schroeder started in the circle for PSU, tossing 3.1 innings of work while giving up five runs off of four hits with one strikeout and a walk.
After giving up one run in the bottom of the sixth, the Vikings regained control as Menlove hit her first home run of the season, a solo shot to left field in the seventh. Bruno recorded her fifth RBI of the game as she hit her second double, scoring Casper and
Ariana Abalos to give Portland State an 11-6 advantage.
Serafine Parrish recorded the win, throwing 3.2 innings in relief with two runs off of seven hits, earning her second victory of the season.
GAME TWO: Bradley 2, Portland State 1
Game two of the Vikings' doubleheader saw much less offense as Bradley held on for a one-run win.
The Braves scored their first run in the second inning, leading off with a single before coming around to score on a throwing error after attempting to catch the runner stealing third.
With neither team able to get the offense going, Bradley scored its second run in the bottom of the sixth inning, leading off with a solo home run to left field to go up 2-0.
In the seventh, Johansen hit a lead-off home run to bring the Vikings within one run of tying the game. Abalos put the tying run on base with a two-out single before the Braves recorded a strikeout to end the game.
Oliva Grey pitched six innings for PSU, allowing seven hits and two runs while collecting eight strikeouts to bring her season total to 39.
The Vikings continue play at the Gaucho Classic tomorrow with another doubleheader, playing their second game against Bradley before taking on St. Peter's.
