OGDEN, Utah -  The five-seed Portland State softball team went a perfect 4-0 in the 2021 Big Sky Tournament as they locked in the first Big Sky Tournament Championship since 2013 with an 8-1 victory over two-seed Southern Utah on Saturday. The Vikings made history as the first five-seed in tournament history to win the title. 
 
The win clinched Portland State an automatic berth to the NCAA Regionals next weekend. 
 
"To think we had our very first practice three months and three weeks ago and now we're Big Sky Champions is amazing," Head Coach Meadow McWhorter said. "The core of our journey at this tournament was love and these girls love for each other. They're so selfless and truly play for each other. I'm so incredibly thankful to be their coach and am excited for what's to come. We're not done yet."
 
This year marked McWhorter's third trip to the tournament, improving her tournament record to 6-3 while at the helm.
 
Olivia Grey got the start in the circle for PSU for the fourth-straight contest. The redshirt freshman was nothing short of extraordinary through the opening two days of the tournament and Saturday was no different.   
 
Southern Utah was the first to get on the board in the second inning, taking a 1-0 lead on the Vikings. The Portland State offense was uncharacteristically quiet for the opening three innings but came alive in the fourth. After loading the bases with no outs the Vikings caught fire. A pair of singles from Olivia Dean and Ari Abalos along with a bases loaded walk gave the Vikings the 3-1 lead.
 
Marissa Bruno knocked a two RBI single to extend the lead before Paetynn Lopez did what she does best, slamming a triple to left field to put the Vikings ahead 7-1. Rachel Menlove capped off the fourth inning rally, sending a sacrifice fly to score Lopez and lock an 8-1 lead.
 
The Thunderbirds held off the Vikings offense in the final three innings to prevent the run-rule victory but were unable to chip away at the lead.
 
With Grey piloting the defense, the Vikings shut down Southern Utah in the top of the seventh, clinching the programs second Big Sky Tournament title and first trip to the NCAA tournament in eight years.
 
Four different Vikings notched multi-hit games in the contest leading to eleven total hits. Grey ended the day with four strikeouts, allowing just one run off of eight hits.
 
The NCAA selection show will be held tomorrow at 6 PM PT. The Vikings will head into regional play with a 15-24 overall record, winning eight of their last eleven games.