CATHEDRAL CITY, Calif. – The Portland State softball team played its final game of the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic on Sunday, falling to LMU 8-5 at the Big League Dreams Sports Complex. The Vikings fell to 4-10 while the Lions jumped to 6-10.  

The Lions took control early, scoring three runs in the opening two innings. A sacrifice fly from Ellie Babbitt got the Vikings on the board in the second, before LMU made it 4-1 in the top of the third. The next inning, LMU scored three runs on four hits to take a 7-1 lead. Bailee Noland kept Portland State in the game with her second home run of the weekend, a two-run shot that scored Logan Riggenbach.  

The Vikings pulled themselves within two in the bottom of the fifth when Olivia Dean and Riggenbach knocked in a pair of runs. As a result of a drop dead time limit, the game was called after the sixth inning, as LMU secured an 8-5 victory. 

Taking over for Olivia Grey in the fourth inning, Marisol Gaona held the Lions to one run in her 2.2 innings of work. Grey took the loss, falling to 4-4 on the year. The Vikings tallied nine hits as Noland led the way going 3-for-3 at the plate. 

PSU will look to bounce back next weekend at the Trailblazer Tournament in St. George, Utah. They'll open action on Friday, March 3 against Utah Valley (12:30 p.m. PT) and BYU (4:30 p.m. PT).