The Portland State softball team traveled out to Ogden, Utah for a three-game series with Weber State University over the weekend, and came away with a sweep to boost the team to the top of the Big Sky Conference standings. Hard-hitting performances from Lauran Bliss and Brittany Hendrickson coupled with outstanding pitching from Anna Bertrand led the Vikings to victory.
Vikings softball gets the sweep in Utah
The Portland State softball team traveled out to Ogden, Utah for a three-game series with Weber State University over the weekend, and came away with a sweep to boost the team to the top of the Big Sky Conference standings. Hard-hitting performances from Lauran Bliss and Brittany Hendrickson coupled with outstanding pitching from Anna Bertrand led the Vikings to victory.
“It was a good team weekend,” head coach Tobin Echo-Hawk said. “If you look at our box scores, everyone in the lineup contributed. We got a lot of people into the game.”
Bertrand earned Big Sky Pitcher of the Week honors for her effort against Weber State, allowing just three earned runs in 16 and two-thirds innings.
The Vikings were efficient on offense, getting five runs on only five hits, and Bertrand held down the Wildcat hitters for a 5-2 victory in the weekend’s opening game.
“[Bertrand] is hitting her stride,” Echo-Hawk said. “It’s helped that the offense has given run support, which takes pressure off her as the pitcher and gives her something to rely on.”
The Vikings got even more help from their lineup in the second game of the doubleheader, taking a 4-0 first-inning lead. They were up 5-2 by the fourth, then got four more runs in the sixth inning to stretch the lead to seven. Weber State was only able to manufacture one more run and the Vikings tacked on one more in the seventh to complete the 10-3 win.
The team picked up right where they left off the following day, scoring at least one run in six of the seven innings played. Bertrand came through with a one-hitter for the Vikings and Hendrickson, Big Sky Player of the Week, exploded for four hits, including two home runs and a triple in a four-RBI effort.
“It’s always nice to know that you can change the game with one swing,” Echo-Hawk said of his team. “They’re staying focused on the process of hitting, not just hitting the ball out of the park.”
The Vikings come back home this weekend for three games against the University of Northern Colorado Bears.
