HILLSBORO, Ore. – The Portland State softball team used a pair of late-inning home runs to clinch its second Big Sky series of the season with a 4-3 eight-inning victory over Northern Colorado on Saturday at Gordon Faber Field 4.

The Vikings improved to 21-14 overall and 5-4 in Big Sky action, while Northern Colorado dropped to 16-21 and 4-2 in conference action.

The Vikings, who have proven to play their best ball when scoring the first run of the game, did just that on Saturday. Olivia Dean led off the Viking's opening at-bat with a triple to the left-center gap, before Shea Garcia singled her home. A few plays later, Emily Johansen sent a sacrifice fly to left, scoring Garcia and putting the Vikings on top 2-0.

Northern Colorado waited until the fourth inning to respond, taking its first lead of the day with a trio of runs in the top of the fourth.

The Vikings, who trailed by one, sent pinch-hitter Allicitie Frost to the plate with one out in the bottom of the seventh. The Sophomore took full advantage of her first at-bat of the season, belting a game-tying home run to keep her team alive and send the game to extras. 

The Bears nearly re-gained the lead in the top of the eighth, attempting to steal home after the Vikings mishandled a throw down to third base. Dean quickly recovered and fired a bullet to Julia Perkins at home plate to cut down the runner and end the inning. 

Logan Riggenbach, the Vikings' hottest hitter, sent the Bears packing just a few minutes later when she belted a leadoff walk-off home run in the bottom of the eighth to end it at 4-3 and clinch the series. 

Olivia Grey pitched a complete eight innings for PSU, fanning eight while allowing zero earned runs as she improved to 13-5 on the year. Riggenbach led the Vikings with two hits in the game.

Portland State will continue its conference homestand next weekend when they host Southern Utah for a two-day, three-game series that begins on Friday at Gordon Faber Field 4 (1 & 3:30 p.m.).