The Vikings softball squad watched their hopes of moving past the first round of the NCAA regional tournament collapse with a devastating 2-1 defeat at the hands of the University of Washington Huskies. The Vikings struggled at the plate against the Huskies’ starting pitcher and also had some difficulties defensively as they failed to advance in Seattle. The loss dropped Portland State into the consolation bracket for a meeting with the University of Minnesota, but the team fared even worse against the Gophers and fell 5-0, officially putting an end to the 2013 season.
PSU softball loses in first round at NCAA regionals
The Vikings softball squad watched their hopes of moving past the first round of the NCAA regional tournament collapse with a devastating 2-1 defeat at the hands of the University of Washington Huskies. The Vikings struggled at the plate against the Huskies’ starting pitcher and also had some difficulties defensively as they failed to advance in Seattle. The loss dropped Portland State into the consolation bracket for a meeting with the University of Minnesota, but the team fared even worse against the Gophers and fell 5-0, officially putting an end to the 2013 season.
The Vikings could not make any headway against Washington pitcher Bryana Walker, who struck out six of the first nine batters she faced and didn’t give up a hit until the fourth inning. That hit was big one for Portland State, as senior second baseman Carly McEachran slammed her ninth home run this year to put the Vikings up 1-0.
Unfortunately for PSU, the Huskies had an answer, tying the game on an RBI double by Kaitlin Inglesby in the bottom of the fourth. Inglesby struck again in the fifth with a sacrifice fly that brought another runner across the plate, giving the Huskies a 2-1 advantage. Walker took care of the rest for Washington, shutting down the Vikings in the sixth and seventh innings and allowing only one batter to reach base over the last two innings.
Portland State took on Minnesota next in a consolation matchup. Coming off their struggles at bat against the Huskies, the Vikings again failed to produce much at the plate. Only two Vikings reached base over the first four innings, both as the result of walks, as pitcher Sara Moulton gave up only one hit in a 5-0 shutout performance for Minnesota.
The Gophers cashed in on a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the third, then broke the game wide open in the next inning with four more runs. Portland State tried to mount a comeback in the sixth, when Crysta Conn reached base and advanced to third on a Lauran Bliss single, but Moulton ended the game with her 13th strikeout to complete the victory.
Though Portland State’s 2013 campaign is now over, the Vikings will go into the record books as co-champions of the Big Sky regular season and winners of the inaugural Big Sky Softball Tournament. Anna Bertrand has finished her career at PSU as the team’s all-time leader in wins and strikeouts.
