MISSOULA, Mont. - With the series already clinched, the Portland State softball team dropped the weekend's final game to Montana 5-4 on Sunday afternoon.  

The Vikings fell to 18-11 and 2-1 in conference play, while Montana moved to 13-16 overall and 1-2 in Big Sky action.

Alexa Cepeda got the Vikings on the board in the second inning with a perfectly executed squeeze bunt to score Olivia Dean. Montana took advantage of a bases-loaded opportunity in the bottom half of the inning, knocking a grand slam to make it 4-1. 

Emily Johansen answered shortly after, belting a two-run shot in the top of the third to pull the Vikings within one. Two innings later, a solo home run from Paetynn Lopez tied things at four.

The back-and-forth continued as Montana scored the go-ahead run in the bottom of the fifth.

The Vikings advanced two runners into scoring position in their final at-bat, but the Grizzlies held out, retiring the final two batters to end the game.

Grey took her first loss in the circle since Feb. 25, despite allowing just three hits on the day. The Vikings out-hit Montana, totaling eight as Logan Riggenbach had a team-high three hits.  

Riggenbach finished the weekend 8-for-11 at the plate, while the Vikings totaled five home runs over three games.  

Portland State will play a three-game series at Sacramento State next weekend, beginning on Friday (April 1) at 1 p.m.