PORTLAND, Ore. – The Portland State softball team will begin the final stretch of the regular season this weekend with a three-game series against Idaho State. The series will begin with a doubleheader on Friday (1 p.m. PT), followed by a single game on Sunday slated for 11 a.m in Pocatello.
All three games will be broadcast live on ESPN+.
The Vikings have six games remaining on their regular-season schedule. The first team since 2013 to reach the 24-win mark, PSU enters the weekend at 24-15 overall. Meadow McWhorter and the Vikings are still in the hunt for the regular-season title as they carry an 8-4 conference record. They currently rank third in the standings behind Sacramento State (9-3) and Weber State (10-1).
LAST TIME OUT
This past week, the Viking's ten-day hiatus was the longest they've had this season. Despite falling to then No. 19 Oregon on April 19, the Vikings had a solid showing their last time out. After holding PSU's offense scoreless through six innings, the Ducks handed them a 5-2 loss in Eugene. The Vikings avoided the shutout by scoring a pair of runs in the seventh, including a solo home run from Natalia Martinez. Despite giving up just five hits and three earned runs, Olivia Grey took the loss in the circle.
KEYS TO VICTORY
The Vikings are...
- 19-1 when holding their opponents to less than three runs
- 22-3 when surrendering four runs or less
- 18-3 when they score the first run of the game
- 11-2 when they score in the first inning
- 19-1 when leading after four innings
SPEED ON THE BASE PATHS
PSU continues to lead the Big Sky with 51 stolen bases, 12 of those coming against conference opponents. Olivia Dean is tied for first in the conference with 17, while Maddie Thompson ranks third with 15.
DEAN'S STREAK
Olivia Dean has reached base in 13 straight games, a streak dating back to March 16. The redshirt junior has gotten a hit in eight of those games and has tallied at least one hit in five of her last six contests.
RIGGENBACH ON A ROLL
Sophomore outfielder Logan Riggenbach leads the Vikings in six offensive categories (hits, doubles, RBIs, home runs, total bases, and slugging percentage). She enters the series with a team-high .363 batting average, ranking fourth in the Big Sky. She's hitting .476 against conference opponents while knocking five home runs, 17 RBIs, five doubles, and one triple. Riggenbach was a single shy of hitting for the cycle against the Thunderbirds two weekends ago as she recorded a grand slam, triple and double in the opening game of the series.
OWNING THE CIRCLE
Olivia Grey's impressive season continues as she heads into Friday with a 15-6 record. The right-hander has tossed 16 complete games, including four shutouts, while holding her opponents to a .190 average at the plate. She leads the Big Sky with a 1.63 ERA and 184 strikeouts.
Grey had a career performance against North Dakota State on March 11, striking out a career-high fifteen batters while pitching nine shutout innings.
CHASING HISTORY
Averaging 8.8 strikeouts per game, Grey has a chance to break the program's Division I era single-season strikeout record by the end of the season. Anna Bertrand holds the current record at 229. Grey currently ranks sixth in the record book with 184.
PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
Olivia Grey – Grey picked up back-to-back Pitcher of the week honors after going 5-0 during the season's opening two weeks. She picked up her third weekly honor after leading the Vikings to a pair of wins at the UO/OSU Invitational.
Maddie Thompson – Thompson earned the first Player of the Week nod of her career during week one after hitting .619 and leading the nation in hits (13) at the Lynn Russell Miller Classic.
Logan Riggenbach – Riggenbach notched her first Player of the Week honor three weeks ago after hitting .714 over four games, leading the Vikings to a 3-1 record against Warner Pacific and Montana.
PRESEASON POLL
The Vikings were picked second in the 2022 Big Sky Preseason Coaches Poll released on Jan. 31. Totaling 28 points and two first-place votes, PSU was chosen below defending regular-season Champion Weber State, who received 34 points and four first-place votes.
RANKED OPPONENTS
Four of the Viking's 14 losses have come against ranked opponents this season (No. 24 Arizona State, No. 20 Louisiana, No.11 Oregon, and No.24 Oregon State). On March 12, the Vikings ended an eleven-year drought, beating No. 24/23 Oregon State 6-1 to clinch the program's first victory over a ranked opponent since 2011.
SCOUTING THE BENGALS
After finishing the season 12-21 a year ago, Idaho State has made its mark in the Big Sky this season. They enter the series above .500 on the year (22-21) while holding a 6-6 record against conference opponents. They're currently tied for fourth place in the Big Sky standings alongside Northern Colorado. The Bengals have clinched their last two conference series, totaling five wins against Montana and Southern Utah.
Portland State leads the all-time series against the Vandals, 23-17. Idaho State took one game from the Vikings in 2021 but dropped the series 2-1.
