PORTLAND, Ore. – The Portland State softball team led early in both games on opening day of the 2026 season, but late runs proved costly as the Vikings fell to CSUN, 8-2, and Cal State Fullerton, 3-1, at the Easton Classic in Fullerton, Calif.

The Vikings (0-2) allowed just two combined runs through the first four innings of both games Friday, but a sixth-inning rally from CSUN (1-1) and single runs in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings from Cal State Fullerton (2-1) were the difference in the outcome.

"There were so many exciting small wins to build off of," Head Coach Meadow McWhorter said following the doubleheader. "Gracie [Walters] was excellent in the circle in game two and several freshman had big first moments."

One early run came in the opening inning of the day when CSUN strung together three hits to push one across and take the lead. That early success was halted by Viking starter Sherreigh Nakoa-Chung, who settled in after the first and allowed just two baserunners over the next four frames.

Meanwhile, the Vikings broke through offensively in the top of the fourth. Breanna Lutz and Abigail Carsley drew walks before Mia Martinez singled to load the bases. Entering as a pinch hitter, freshman Sierra Llamas made the most of her first collegiate at-bat, driving in Carsley from third with a clutch two-out RBI single.

The score stayed even until Martinez led off the sixth with a solo home run — the first of her career — to give the Vikings a 2-1 lead.

The Matador bats responded in the bottom half of the inning, forcing PSU to make a change in the circle after two runs scored with one out. CSUN then broke the game open, capitalizing on walks and a Viking error to extend its lead to 8-2, which held as the final.

Viking right-hander Gracie Walters got the start in game two for Portland State and was stellar against a Cal State Fullerton team that scored 14 runs in its Thursday doubleheader against 24th-ranked Ole Miss. 

Gracie Toney gave the Vikings an early lead over the Titans, singling home Lutz with a two-out, two-strike RBI single in the second. With a 1-0 lead, Walters held the Titans scoreless until the bottom of the fourth, when a two-out rally allowed one run to cross. The Titans then added runs in the fifth and sixth innings to extend their lead to 3-1, which held for the remainder of the game.

Walters recorded her first complete game of the season, striking out two. Game one starter Nakoa-Chung struck out three over 5.1 innings, walking only one.

Offensively, the Vikings tallied 11 hits — six of them in the nightcap. Both Martinez and Jolee Benson led the way with two hits apiece. Two of the Vikings' three RBI on Friday came from freshman, and two were recorded with two outs in the inning.

Portland State will look to build on their day-one successes Saturday when they take on Boise State (3:00 p.m.) and Cal State Fullerton (5:30 p.m.).