PORTLAND, Ore. – Following a five-game weekend in Hawaii, the Portland State softball team is back home and set to host Seattle for a three-game series at Hillsboro Stadium. The action kicks off with a doubleheader on Thursday, March 7 (4/6:30 p.m.) followed by a single game on Friday, March 8 (11 a.m.)

The series between the Vikings (3-14) and the Redhawks (8-12) will be played on the turf field at Hillsboro Stadium. The games won't be live-streamed. However, live stats will be available at vikslive.com
 

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GAME NOTES – SEATTLE U SERIES (MARCH 7-8)

SERIES HISTORY
Portland State leads the all-time series 27-14 over the Redhawks. The teams last met on May 22nd, 2021 at NCAA Regionals in Seattle, when the Redhawks won 6-5. Seattle has won three straight against the Vikings. 

LAST TIME OUT – SPRING FLING TOURNAMENT 
The Vikings left Honolulu last weekend without a win, despite a pair of one-run games. After opening with an 8-1 loss to LMU, PSU suffered back-to-back one-run losses to both Tennessee State and Hawai'i. A 2-5 loss to LMU and an 8-2 loss to the Rainbow Wahine closed out the weekend on Saturday. Defensively, the Vikings suffered just three errors over five games. Offensively, nine Vikings recorded at least one hit during the tournament. In four of the weekend's five contests, the offense tallied seven or more hits. 

SPRING FLING ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
Both Maddie Thompson and Lorraine Alo were named to the Spring Fling All-Tournament Team last weekend. Thompson had a phenomenal weekend at the plate, hitting .526 (10-for-19). Alo was .385 (5-for-13) with two RBI and an on-base percentage of .429. 
 
WHO'S HOT

• Maddie Thompson leads the Vikings with a .378 batting average (17-for-45)
• Emily Johansen led the Vikings with four RBI last weekend which included a three-run home run against Tennessee State
• Logan Riggenbach has eight doubles on the year which ranks second in the Big Sky
• Maddie Thompson will look to extend a five-game hitting streak against the Redhawks
• Paetynn Lopez has a team-high eight RBI, five of those coming at the Silicon Valley Classic three weekends ago. In addition to reaching base in nine consecutive games, she heads into the weekend on a four-game hitting streak

IN THE CIRCLE

• Grace Kimball earned her first win as a Viking against Pacific (OR), striking out a career-high eight batters in 3.2 innings of work. Her and Annie Lemos combined for a no-hit shutout in game one of the doubleheader (2/24)
• Sherreigh Nakoa-Chung notched the first victory of the 2024 season, pitching a complete game against Utah State (2/11) at the Lynn Russell Miller Classic
• Lemos tossed the first complete game of her career in the Vikings' 3-2 loss to Utah State (2/10). She held a hot Nevada team to eight hits and three earned runs while striking out three
• Nakoa-Chung leads the staff with a 3.61 ERA

RECORD CHASING
Fifth-year senior Emily Johansen currently holds top-ten positions in ten of the program's all-time offensive categories. Earlier this season, she tied the program's career record for sac flies (12), joining Crysta Conn who set the mark back in 2014. Johansen is only three RBI away from tying Mandy Hill for the program's all-time career RBI record. 

• Current Numbers: Home runs: 28 (Rec. 32) | RBI: 132 (Rec. 135) | Doubles: 30 (Rec. 44) | Walks: 74 (Rec. 84) | Runs scored: 100 (Rec. 133)

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-team members 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.