STOCKTON, Calif. – The Portland State softball team's eight-game winning streak ended on Friday as they fell to the University of the Pacific in a doubleheader 10-5 and 11-8 at Bill Simoni Field.
 
Despite the setback, Viking redshirt senior and 2023 Big Sky Player of the Year, Emily Johansen, recorded her 136^th RBI in Friday's opening game, claiming her position as the program's all-time career RBI leader.
 
The Vikings, who take game one of the series on Thursday, suffered their first losses since March 2nd, falling to 11-16 overall. The Tigers took the series, improving to 10-22.
 
After being held scoreless in the opener, Pacific scored early on Friday, taking the lead on a wild pitch in its opening at-bat. Johansen then leveled the score in the top of the third, knocking her record-breaking RBI double to score Alexa Cepeda.
 
The Vikings later took the lead in the fourth when Paetynn Lopez brought Neveah Smith home with a double to right center. However, that lead didn't last long as Pacific broke through in the bottom of the fourth. The Tigers scored seven runs off four hits and two Viking errors to take an 8-2 lead. Portland State cut into the advantage with runs in the fifth and sixth but couldn't close the gap, ultimately falling 10-5.

Lorraine Alo kicked off game two with her first collegiate home run, lifting the Vikings to a 2-0 lead in the first inning. However, Pacific quickly responded, matching the score in their half of the inning. The Vikings extended their lead in the fourth inning with RBI contributions from Lopez, Alapese Matautia, and Makayla Romeo, securing a substantial 7-2 advantage.
 
After a Pacific home run in the bottom of the fourth, Johansen delivered her second RBI double of the day, expanding the Vikings' lead to 8-3. However, the Tigers rallied in the bottom of the fifth inning, scoring seven runs on nine hits to claim their first lead of the game at 10-8. They added another run in the sixth inning, ultimately securing the come-from-behind victory with a final score of 11-8

Sherreigh Nakoa-Chung (1-2) and Grace Kimball (6-7) suffered losses in the circle for Portland State. The Tigers outpaced the Vikings in hits, with a 10-7 margin in the first game and 13-11 in the second. Maddie Thompson led PSU offensively in game one, going 2-for-4 at the plate with an RBI. In the series finale, seven Vikings recorded at least one hit, with Johansen leading the pack, going 3-for-4 with an RBI.

Having completed 27 non-conference games, the Vikings will now turn their attention to Big Sky action as they gear up for a three-game series against Idaho State next weekend. The series will take place in Nampa and Boise, Idaho, kicking off with a single game on March 29th, followed by a doubleheader on March 30th.