HILLSBORO – The Portland State softball team earned a pair of wins over Simpson University in its home opener on Wednesday at Gordon Faber Field.
The Vikings improved to 3-12 on the season, securing back-to-back wins at 12-2 and 5-0 over the visiting Red Hawks.
Portland State had an explosive opening game, slamming 17 hits and 12 RBI in the five-inning contest. The Vikings recorded ten of their hits in the fourth inning, en route to a commanding 12-1 lead over the Red Hawks. Holding the Red Hawk offense to just a single run in the top of the fifth secured the 12-2 run-rule victory for PSU. Â
Emily Johansen led the Viking offense going a perfect 3-3 at the plate, recording four RBI, one double, and a home run. Marissa Bruno followed closely behind, going 3-4 while tacking on three RBI. Five other Vikings saw a multi-hit game resulting in a season-high of 17 total hits and a .607 team batting average.
Serafine Parrish earned her first win of the season in the circle for the Vikings after taking over in the third inning. Katie Schroeder and Marisol Gaona also saw time in the circle. In a combined effort, the three pitchers held the Red Hawks to just four hits in the contest.
Portland State stayed quiet to open game two, finally breaking through when Paetynn Lopez sent an RBI single up the middle to score Olivia Dean, giving the Vikings a 1-0 advantage in the bottom half of the third. Lopez struck again in the fifth, sending the second home run of her freshman season over the left-center fence to add to the Vikings' lead at 3-0.
A Rachel Menlove home run and Johansen's fifth RBI of the day increased the PSU advantage to 5-0 in the sixth, where it stayed for the remainder of the game.
Allicitie Frost got the start in the circle, earning the first win of her collegiate career after allowing just two hits and tallying ten strikeouts in five innings of work. Haley Schimmel and Olivia Grey finished things off for the Vikings', combining with Frost to lock in the first shutout of the season.
Lopez, Johansen, and Bruno each added two hits in the victory, while Lopez led the way with three RBI.
Portland State will look to build on its break-through performance on Monday, March 22 against Eastern Oregon (2 & 4 p.m.). The Vikings' will continue their homestand on Tuesday, March 23 against New Mexico State at Gordon Faber Field (3 & 5 p.m.).
