PORTLAND – The Portland State softball team will head to Greeley this weekend to face Northern Colorado in its second Big Sky series of the season. 

The Vikings and Bears will open the series with a Friday doubleheader beginning at 12 p.m. PT and will close out the weekend on Saturday at 11 a.m. PT. 

The series will be held in Greeley, Colo at Gloria Rodriguez Field. All three games will be broadcasted live on Watch Big Sky. 

LAST TIME OUT

The Vikings opened their 2021 Big Sky campaign last weekend, falling to Montana in three consecutive games, two of those decided by one run. 

PSU dropped the opening game 2-1 and closed out the first day of action falling 10-1. Haunted by another one-run decision, the Vikings fell in the series finale 9-8. PSU will enter the weekend looking to improve a 3-17 overall record and 0-3 standing in Big Sky action.

OFFENSIVE HIGHLIGHTS 

Rachel Menlove - After a big weekend at the plate, Menlove leads the Vikings in nearly every offensive category with a team-high five home runs, 12 RBI, three doubles, 38 total bases, a .745 slugging percentage, and a .392 batting average. 

Against Montana, Menlove was 5-8 at the plate while tallying three RBI on the weekend. The Idaho native brought in a run in each of the three games against the Grizzlies.

Menlove will enter the weekend on a six-game RBI streak and a seven-game hit streak. 

Marissa Bruno - Bruno slammed her 10th career triple against the Grizzlies on Sunday, tying the all-time program division I career triples record. The redshirt senior now sits at the top of the list alongside Kiauna Anderson who has been the sole record holder since the 2001 season. 

Bruno is just one steal away from the all-time program division I career stolen bases record (34). The redshirt senior has stolen 11 bases this season after entering the year with 22. 

Tayler Gunesch - Nursing an injury for the opening part of the season, Gunesch entered the weekend against the Grizzlies having had just three at-bats this year. The center fielder showed zero signs of rust as she was 4-10 at the plate with 2 RBI and 2 runs scored. She enters Friday with a .385 batting average. 

BASE THIEVES 

The Vikings are an astounding 33-34 stealing bases this season. In the past seven games, they have been a perfect 18-18 on the base paths. Bruno leads the way with 11 on the year while freshman Maddie Thompson follows closely behind with nine. The Vikings have stolen at least one base in 15 straight games. 

IN THE CIRCLE

Viking true freshman Allicitie Frost started two of three games against Montana last weekend. The true freshman has a 1-3 record after seeing five starts so far this season. She leads the Vikings with a 4.59 ERA, holding her opponents to a .225 batting average. Frost has tallied 31 strikeouts in 33 innings pitched. 

BIG SKY LEADERBOARD

• The Vikings lead the Big Sky with 34 stolen bases
• Bruno (11), Thompson (9), and Olivia Dean (7) rank as the top three in stolen bases in the conference 
• Menlove is second in the conference in batting average (.392) and slugging percentage (.745)
• Olivia Grey ranks fifth in the Big Sky with 39 strikeouts over her 11 appearances 
• Frost is tied for first in the Big Sky after holding her opponents to a .225 batting average so far this season

BY THE NUMBERS – SEASON TOTALS

Team Batting Average: .281 (142-506)

 Opponent Batting Average: .328 (171-521)

 Errors/Fielding Percentage: 21 (.957)

 ERA/Strikeouts/Walks: 8.75 ERA, 119 strikeouts, 72 walks

NORTHERN COLORADO 

The Bears will enter the series against the Vikings with a 4-18 overall record. NCU lost three-straight games to Sacramento State to open Big Sky action last weekend. Much like Portland State, the Bears suffered two of those three losses by a single run. Northern Colorado was tabbed for a last-place finish in the Big Sky Preseason Coaches' Poll released in February. 

Erin Caviness has seen the majority of starts in the circle for the Bears as she leads the pitching staff with a 5.12 ERA through 69.2 innings of work. The offense holds a .238 team batting average with nine home runs on the year. 

SERIES HISTORY

Portland State has had recent success against the Bears, earning victories in the last two meetings while they lead the all-time series 21-11.