The Portland State softball team (15-19, 1-2 Western Athletic Conference) got a chance to exorcise some of their offensive demons by beating up on Western Oregon at home on Sunday.
Senior Kiauna Anderson, who blasted a game-winning home run against the Oregon Ducks last Tuesday, did the same in game one against the Wolves.
With the game tied at 3, Anderson turned on her first pitch in the bottom of the seventh and cracked it over the fence in right center.
Nichole Ivie was relieved by Morgan Seibert after allowing the tying run with two outs in the top of the seventh. Seibert recorded the third out and the win after Anderson’s homer.
Seibert then started game two, shutting out Western Oregon until the game was called in five innings 9-0. The Vikings scored in the first inning and then hit Western with an eight-run second inning from which the Wolves never quite recovered.
Like Anderson, Seibert also repeated an impressive feat from the last week. Seibert earned two victories in one day against Oregon last week and again against Western Oregon this week.
The doubleheader sweep gives the Vikings a three-game winning streak after dropping a game to No. 13 Fresno State and splitting a doubleheader with Loyola Marymount.
Last Thursday, fresh off of an unlikely sweep of the Oregon Ducks, the Vikings were hoping to carry some momentum into a scheduled doubleheader with the No. 13 Fresno State Bulldogs. That momentum got the Vikings a few hits in the first inning, but they were unable to capitalize. They also were no-hit the rest of the way by Leslie Poole, although she did not strike out a single batter.
Seibert also pitched well, allowing only two runs on five hits to the highly ranked Bulldogs, and only walking two batters.
The game was called in the sixth due to rain, with the final score 2-0 and the Vikings trailing. The second game was canceled. No makeup date has been scheduled so the Vikings may not be allowed a chance for revenge until April 28 when the teams collide again in Fresno.
Saturday, the Vikings played a home doubleheader against Loyola Marymount. Seibert started game one and pitched a complete game, giving up eight hits and four walks with seven strikeouts. Seibert, though, also gave up five runs and the Vikings remained dead at the plate as they were shut out for the second game in a row, 5-0.
The on-again, off-again Viking offense returned just long enough to defeat the Lions in game two. Ivie started and gave up six hits to Loyola in that game, but only allowed one earned run and one base on balls.
The Vikings will return to action against the Washington Huskies on April 10 in Seattle before hosting a doubleheader against Oregon State at Erv Lind Stadium on Thursday at 4 p.m.