PHOENIX, Ariz. - The Portland State softball team experienced a mix of victory and defeat on day two of the Littlewood Classic, beginning with a 9-8 walk-off win over Oregon State and ending with a 16-8 loss to Grand Canyon on Saturday at the GCU softball stadium.
The doubleheader split moved the Vikings to 3-6 overall. The Beavers also ended the day at 3-6 after suffering a pair of losses. Following back-to-back wins on Saturday, Grand Canyon will head into the final day of the tournament undefeated, boasting a 9-0 record.
Game 1: Portland State 9, Oregon State 8
The Beavers took immediate control of game one, opening the day with three runs in the top of the first, before adding a fourth an inning later. The Vikings' bats came alive in the bottom half of the second inning when Alexa Cepeda got things rolling with an RBI single. A Beaver error and a Sacrifice fly from Emily Johansen leveled the score.
Bailee Noland blasted the first home run of her Viking career in the bottom of the third, a two-run shot that gave the Vikings their first lead of the day. The Beavers retook the lead an inning later, bringing three across to take a 7-6 advantage.
The back-and-forth continued into the sixth, when a two-RBI double from Johansen put the Vikings ahead 8-7. Oregon State responded, knotting the game at eight in the top of the seventh.
In a game that appeared to be heading for extra innings, Portland State's bats had different plans. Trinity Holden's one-out single shifted the momentum back in the Vikings' favor. Taking advantage of that energy, Noland hit a single down the right field line, moving Holden to third. After OSU recorded the second out of the inning, Olivia Dean came to the plate with a chance to end it. Patient and poised, the redshirt senior worked the count to 3-1 before knocking a walk-off single to left field that scored Holden from third and secured the victory for PSU. The win marks the Vikings' second defeat of the Beavers in two years.
The teams combined for 22 hits, tallying 11 each. Four Vikings recorded multi-hit games as Holden led the way with a team-high three. Three members of the PSU pitching staff saw action in the circle. Sherreigh Nakoa-Chung got the start, tossing three full innings before Marisol Gaona took over in the fourth. Olivia Grey was called upon shortly after, throwing the remaining 3.2 innings and holding the Beavers to just a single hit. The 6'0 senior claimed the victory, improving to 3-2 this season.
Game 2: Grand Canyon 16, Portland State 8 (5 Inn.)
The Lopes came out hot against Viking starter Bailey Rose, rattling off eight runs on five hits in the bottom of the first.
Portland State used the large deficit as motivation, putting together a big inning of their own in the top of the second. Cepeda and Thompson got the rally started for the Vikings, tallying three runs with back-to-back RBI singles. Johansen continued the rally, sending a three-run shot over the right-field fence to make it 8-6.
The high-scoring affair picked back up in the third when GCU compiled a five-run, five-hit inning on their way to a 13-6 lead. The Lopes didn't stop there, stretching their lead to 10 at 16-6 in the bottom of the fourth.
Fifth inning RBIs from Paetynn Lopez and Noland pulled the Vikings within eight, but GCU's defense held strong for the remainder of the frame, shutting the Vikings down to secure the run-rule victory, 16-8.
Four Vikings recorded a hit in the nightcap, as the Lopes out-hit Portland State 12-4. Rose (0-1) took the loss, despite Allicitie Frost and Grey tossing the final 3.1 innings.
Up Next:
Saturday's win over Oregon State marked head coach Meadow McWhorter's 99th career victory at Portland State. The Vikings will get their first crack at the 100th win tomorrow, Feb. 19, in the weekend finale against DePaul (8 a.m. PT / 9 a.m. MT) at the GCU Softball Stadium.
