Going to California

For the Portland State softball team, the wait is over.

The NCAA released its 64-team tournament schedule on Sunday, and Portland State players and coaches learned that the Vikings (29-24) will be playing eighth-seeded Stanford (44-9) at the Cardinal’s own Boyd and Jill Smith Family Stadium on Friday evening.

Rounding out the four-team regional tournament are Cal-Poly (39-10) and Nevada (39-17), who also will battle it out Friday for a spot in the regional championship, the winner of which will advance to the Super Regionals round.

The weekend play is double-elimination style, so the Vikings-Cardinal loser will still have a chance at advancing to the following weekend round of games.

The Vikings will gear up this week for their second postseason appearance in four years after capturing the PCSC title with a conference record of 15-5. In their first Division I postseason appearance in 2006, the Vikings fell to the No. 3 seeded Baylor 5-3 in the opening round of the regional tournament.

Four current members of the team were on that 2006 roster. Jackie Hiede, Jana Rae Slayton, Jessi Even and Jamee Rauch will all be looking to lead the Vikings as far into the playoffs as the program has ever been, in the quest for the Women’s World Series title.

The Portland State squad will have its hands full with its competition. This weekend’s action will mark the 12th consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance for Stanford, who has played in the World Series twice, in 2001 and 2004.

The Vikings have matched up against the Cardinal a total of 13 times, winning seven of those contests for the slight edge in the all-time tally.

But Stanford has had Portland State’s number since the Vikings made the jump to Division I, besting them in six of the last seven games of the series, with the last win for the Vikings coming in 2007.

Despite the tough draw, the surging Vikings are confident in their abilities, led by the stifling pitching of sophomore Nichole Latham and junior Tori Rogers, and the explosive bats of seniors Heidi and Slayton.

With 32 home runs in her career, Heidi holds the school’s all-time record in that category, while Slayton holds the best mark for games played at 227.

The first pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. on Friday. The Vikings will then play again on Saturday in the double-elimination style regional action. If they qualify, the Vikings would play in the regional finals on Sunday at Boyd and Jill Smith Family Stadium.