Vikings look to keep rolling

The Portland State softball team heads to Utah Valley this weekend as the Vikings look to build on last weekend’s promising four-game sweep over Northern Colorado.

“It’s big not only to set a statement that we’re ready to play, but also for confidence with our team in general,” head coach Tobin Echo-Hawk said following last weekend’s series.

That sweep marked the beginning of Pacific Coast Softball Conference play, and featured stellar pitching performances from Pacific Coast Softball Conference Mountain Division Pitcher of the Week Anna Bertrand, who struck out 20 batters in 13 innings. It is her second such award of the season.

Junior Nichole Latham allowed no runs in 10 innings of work, while the pitching staff as a whole held Northern Colorado to four runs in 28 innings.

The rotation will have to be in top form again against a Utah Valley lineup that features seven batters averaging .310 or more at the plate, and four who are batting over .360. The Vikings’ offense will have to keep up with a productive and patient Wolverines lineup, which is batting .313 on the year and has clubbed 28 home runs and walked 87 times.

The Wolverines’ pitching staff enters this weekend’s series in the middle of the PCSC pack with a 4.46 ERA. Utah Valley allows opponents to bat .310 off them and has given up 101 walks to 116 strikeouts. Kyli Flanary leads the Wolverines rotation with a 3.53 ERA in 73 1/3 innings pitched, while Heather Bacon leads the team in strikeouts with 40 in 53 2/3 innings.

Though the Wolverines have a 17–17 season record, they have overcome a frigid start. After losing 10 of their first 13 games, they went 12–3 over the last 15 games and are particularly tough at home, where they are 7–2.

The Vikings are 14–21 overall and batting only .230 on the season. Last weekend, however, looked as though it may mark the beginning of a turnaround for the Viking offense. PSU hit .277 against the Grizzlies, with two home runs, four doubles and a triple.

The Vikings’ pitching staff needs little introduction, as it has consistently been among the top rotations in the PCSC this season. On top of the rotation is freshman Anna Bertrand, whose 123 strikeouts in 98 1/3 innings have earned her two weekly honors. Bertrand’s 8.8 strikeouts per seven innings rank her 44th in the NCAA while her 1.92 ERA ranks her 69th.

This weekend will be just the fourth time Portland State has played Utah Valley. Expect this number to jump in the coming years though, as Utah Valley is one of six new teams to the PCSC this season.

The four-game weekend matchup features twin doubleheaders, with the first games beginning at 11 a.m. today and 11 a.m. tomorrow. Live stats will be available through goviks.com.

 ?
Today,
Portland State (14–21, 4–0 PCSC)
at Utah Valley (17–16, 3–1 PCSC) ?
Doubleheader begins at 11 a.m.

Tomorrow,?
Portland State (14–21, 4–0 PCSC)
at Utah Valley (17–16, 3–1 PCSC) ?
Doubleheader begins at 11 a.m.