PORTLAND, Ore. – The Portland State softball team is set for its earliest home opener in over a decade, scheduled for this Saturday, February 24. They will host Pacific (OR) in a doubleheader at Gordon Faber Field 4, beginning at 1 p.m.
 
The Vikings (1-9), who typically spend the entire month of February on the road, will get a much-appreciated break in their travel schedule this weekend before heading to Hawaii next week. Saturday's doubleheader against the Boxers (2-4) will not be streamed, but live stats will be available.

Upon the conclusion of game two, the Vikings will host a free clinic for softball players ages 5-11. Click here for more information: FREE VIKINGS SOFTBALL CLINIC
 

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GAME NOTES: VS. PACIFIC (Feb. 24, 2024)
Hillsboro, Ore. – Gordon Faber Field 4
All-time series: Vikings lead, 11-8
Last meeting:  W, 10-2 (3/28/23)
Live Stats
 
Portland State and Pacific (OR) have faced off 19 times throughout their program histories. 18 of those contests took place between 1982-1997. The only meeting since then was last year, when the Vikings earned a 10-2 win over the Boxers.
 
Pacific finished the 2023 season 7-29. They're off to a 2-4 start in 2024, winning two games against Warner Pacific. They're currently under the direction of interim head coach Shelly Prochaska.
 
LAST TIME OUT – SILICON VALLEY CLASSIC
The Vikings went 0-5 at the Silicon Valley Classic in California last weekend. However, four of their five losses over the weekend were by two runs or less. Two of those close losses came on Sunday, in which the Vikings fell late to San Jose State, 9-7, and Fordham 6-5 in nine innings. The Vikings also dropped games to Nevada and Santa Clara.
 
WHO'S HOT

• Lorraine Alo led the Vikings last weekend offensively, going 5-for-10  (.500) at the plate and now heads into the weekend on a four-game hitting streak
• Paetynn Lopez has a team-high seven RBI, five of those coming last weekend, She accounted for almost a third of the Vikings' RBI at the Silicon Valley Classic
• Logan Riggenbach has reached base in five consecutive contests and has a team-high four doubles  

IN THE CIRCLE
Five pitchers have seen time in the circle for the Vikings this season. Sherreigh Nakoa-Chung notched the only victory so far, pitching a complete game against Utah State on Feb. 11 at the Lynn Russell Miller Classic. She leads the Vikings with a team-high 2.62 ERA in 16.0 innings pitched. Junior Annie Lemos tossed the first complete game of her career this past weekend in the Vikings' 3-2 loss to Utah State. She held a hot Nevada team to eight hits and three earned runs while striking out three.
 
RECORD CHASING
Fifth-year senior Emily Johansen currently holds top-ten positions in ten of the program's all-time offensive categories and looks to surpass several of them this year.
Home runs: 27 (Rec. 32) | RBI: 127 (Rec. 135) | Doubles: 30 (Rec. 44) | Sac Flies: 11 (Rec. 12) | Walks: 72 (Rec. 84) | Runs scored: 97 (Rec. 133)

TWO-WAY THREAT
In addition to 57 career appearances in the circle, senior Allicitie Frost has had 44 at-bats during her career. In 2023, she had 27 at-bats, recording six hits. She tallied one double, a grand slam and seven RBI.
 
ALL-CONFERENCE RETURNERS
The Vikings landed five All-Big Sky honors last season. For the second consecutive season, three Vikings were named to the first team, including returners Maddie Thompson and Emily Johansen. In addition to her first team nod, Johansen became the Vikings' first-ever Big Sky Player of the Year. Second Team pitcher Allicitie Frost is also among the all-conference returners from last season.  
 
DYNAMIC DUO
Two 2023 first-teamers are manning the Vikings' right side of the infield this season, first baseman Emily Johansen and second baseman Maddie Thompson. The duo was exceptionally outstanding last year in conference action, both hitting above .400. Thompson finished with a .345 overall average while hitting a conference-best .477 (21-for-44) during Big Sky play. Johansen hit .344 on the season (.435 BSC) and produced d a team-high 44 RBI and 13 doubles. Thompson's .441 and Johansen's .460 on-base percentages were the top two in the Big Sky. Defensively, they combined for 104 putouts and 33 assists with just a single error across 15 conference games.  
 
NINE STRONG: VIKING SENIOR CLASS
The Vikings have nine seniors on their roster this season, eight of whom have played their entire careers at Portland State. Emily Johansen and Marisol Gaona are the oldest of the group, using their fifth year of eligibility offered due to COVID-19. Also in her fifth season is transfer Makayla Romeo. This is her first season at Portland State following two seasons at both LMU and Tarleton State. Maddie Thompson, Paetynn Lopez, Alexa Cepeda, Logan Riggenbach, Shea Garcia and Allicitie Frost all began their careers at PSU as freshmen in 2020 (ahead of '21 season). This class has had a lasting impact on the program, winning 61 games, 24 Big Sky contests and nine postseason wins over three years. In three consecutive Big Sky tournament appearances, they've clinched one conference title and secured two top-three finishes. Their impressive achievements have been complemented by notable accolades. Among them, five players have earned at least one all-conference honor, totaling nine honors collectively. Four players have been named first-team All-Big Sky and two have earned All-Region honors.