“It was good to see our bats come alive today,” said head coach Dan Powers. “In game two, we battled from behind all game and came up short in the international tiebreaker. We are hoping to carry the offensive momentum into our weekend series.”
Game 1: Seattle U 5, Portland State 3
Portland State’s Brittany Hendrickson singled to left field with runners on the corners to drive in the opening run and give the Vikings an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first. The Redhawks would answer in the bottom of the second on a solo homer by Lisa Maulden (Maple Valley, Wash.) and an RBI double from Sara Dominguez (Santa Ynez, Calif.) to take a 2-1 lead.
The Vikings tied the score, 2-2, a half inning later as Ashley Smith scored on a sacrifice fly to left field, but SU would regain the lead for good, 4-2, in the bottom of the fourth on a Maddy Kristjanson (Mountlake Terrace, Wash.) RBI single to right field and an unearned run from Erika Rodgers (Glendora, Calif.) off a PSU throwing error.
Jenny Hurst (Laguna Niguel, Calif.) added a final run for insurance in the bottom of the fifth on an RBI double to center. Portland State’s Alex Flores would hit an RBI single to center field in the top of the sixth, but SU would emerge with the 5-3 win, holding the Vikings to a three-and-out in the seventh.
Seattle U outhit Portland State, 11-8, as Rose Saenz (San Gabriel, Calif.) and Hurst led SU at the plate, each hitting 2-for-3.
Lindsay Davis (Palo Cedro, Calif.) picked up the win in the circle allowing two runs on five hits in five innings while Mandie Sugita (Rossmoor, Calif.) earned her first save of the season, giving up one run on three hits while striking out one batter in two innings of work. Melissa Masters suffered the loss for the Vikings, allowing four runs on eight hits while walking one and striking out two in the four inning outing.
Game 2: Portland State 15, Seattle U 10 (8 innings)
The Redhawks would come from behind to tie the score two different times late in the game, both in the fifth and sixth innings, to send the game into extra innings. Due to impending rain, it was ruled that international tiebreaker rules would be invoked.
The game tied, 9-9, through regulation, the Vikings scored six runs in the eighth, four with two outs while the Redhawks scored just one on a run by Rodgers off a fielder’s choice after being placed on second base.
PSU took a 5-0 lead through three innings before Paige Bouska (Keizer, Ore.) and Saenz scored two in the third to narrow the Redhawks’ deficit, 5-2. SU tied the game for the first time in the bottom of the fifth on a Saenz double to center field and pair of RBI singles from Molly Campbell (San Diego, Calif.) and Hayley Beckstrom (Maple Valley, Wash.).
Each team scored four runs in the sixth to retie the score, 9-9, and neither could add to their score in the seventh to send the game into extra innings.
Five different Redhawks recorded two hits apiece, led by Campbell hitting 2-for-3 at the plate with a pair of RBIs.
With a double to center field in the bottom of the third, Bubba Morrow (Auburn, Wash.) became Seattle U's all-time career leader, now with 33.
Sugita suffered the loss in the circle in relief, allowing 10 runs on 12 hits while walking one and striking out three. Kristen Crawford picked up the win for Portland State allowing five runs on five hits while striking out three.