YOUNGSVILLE, La. - The Portland State softball team erased a four-run deficit to upend Northwestern State 9-7 in the final game of the Mardi Gras Mambo on Sunday.

The Vikings finished the weekend 3-2 as they head into their home opener on Friday at 9-6 overall.

The Demons scored four runs in the opening two innings. Olivia Grey got the start for the Vikings before Allicitie Frost took over in the bottom of the second.

The Vikings got on the board in the top of the second with a two-RBI single from Alexa Cepeda.

After a scoreless third inning, Mariah Rodriguez began the scoring spree in the fourth, coming home on a wild pitch before Olivia Dean made it a one-run game with a two-RBI single to left field. Paetynn Lopez gave Portland State its first lead of the day, knocking a two-RBI single of her own to cap off the inning.

Holding a 7-6 lead, Frost led the Vikings to back-to-back three-up-three-down innings on defense before a Shea Garcia Double in the sixth extended the lead to 9-6.

NSU threatened in its final at-bat. With the bases loaded and two outs, a diving play from freshman center fielder Grace Johnson ended things, giving the Vikings their third win of the weekend.

Portland State had a tournament-high ten hits in the contest. Cepeda had a career day at the plate, going three-for-four with two RBIs. Frost improved to 3-1 in the circle after limiting the Demons to just a single run in the final four innings.

Next weekend, the Vikings will take a break from the road when they host Robert Morris in a three-game series at Gordon Faber Field #4. The series will begin with a doubleheader on Friday (2 and 4:30 p.m.), followed by a single game on Saturday (12 p.m.).