POCATELLO, Idaho – With their season on the line, the fourth-seeded Portland State softball team delivered a pair of gritty performances on Friday, battling through the loser's bracket to secure a spot in the Big Sky Championship game with wins over Weber State and Sacramento State at Miller Ranch Stadium.
 
After securing a 12-5 victory against fifth-seeded Weber State in their first game of the day, the Vikings found themselves in a familiar scenario: playing in the Big Sky semifinal elimination game. A game they've failed to win the past two seasons. They flipped the script Friday evening, outlasting Sacramento State 9-7 in a thrilling nightcap to advance to the program's first championship game since 2021.
 
Solid performances in the circle laid the groundwork for the Vikings in both games, but it was their offense that stood above the rest. They totaled 21 runs and notched 28 hits, including a season-high 16 hits against the Wildcats.
 
Portland State faced momentary deficits in both games but recovered quickly each time. In game one, the Wildcats secured a brief lead with a solo shot in the top of the first inning. However, the Vikings responded assertively, scoring runs in the second, third, fifth, and sixth innings to establish an 8-1 advantage. While the Wildcats managed to narrow the gap to 8-4 in the bottom of the sixth, the Vikings countered with four runs in their final at-bat, led by six hits, to secure a commanding 12-5 victory and their place in the semifinals.
 
Nine Vikings recorded at least one hit in the slugfest, with five players recording multiple hits. Ellie Babbitt and Alapese Matautia led the dominant effort, tallying three hits each. Senior right-hander Allicitie Frost earned the win on the rubber for Portland State, tossing a complete game on the way to her seventh win of the year.
 
The Vikings' bats didn't skip a beat against the Hornets, seizing control early with three consecutive RBIs from Natalia Martinez, Logan Riggenbach, and Paetynn Lopez in the first inning. After Lopez extended the advantage to four with a sacrifice fly in the third inning, Sacramento State mounted a comeback, scoring one run in the fourth and five in the fifth to take the lead. However, the Vikings responded in their half of the fifth, reclaiming the lead at 6-5 with RBIs from Babbitt and Matautia. They further solidified their advantage in the sixth inning, extending their lead to four runs.
 
The Hornets didn't go down without a fight, threatening with two runs in the top of the seventh. However, Grace Kimball rose to the occasion once again in the home stretch, striking out the final batter of the day to send her team to the championship.
 
The victory marked Kimball's 14th of the season and second of the week, as she struck out eight in another complete game performance.

Portland State recorded 12 hits, led by Riggenbach's 3-for-3 performance and Lopez's impressive 2-for-3 showing, which included 4 RBIs.
 
On Saturday, the Vikings will vie for their third Big Sky championship in program history, encountering a formidable opponent in the undefeated No. 1 seed and defending Big Sky tournament champion, Northern Colorado. To secure the title, the Vikings must beat the Bears twice. First pitch is set for 11:00 a.m. PT/12:00 p.m. MT on Saturday, May 11th. If needed, game two will begin 30 minutes after the conclusion of the first.
 

WE'RE GOING TO THE 'SHIP!!! ??#GoViks | #DefendTheShip pic.twitter.com/e94mK47jCA

— Portland State Softball (@psuviksSB) May 11, 2024