Vikings Take Two From @BearsSoftball

Friday, March 31

Portland, OR

2:00 pm

University of Northern Colorado

13-22, 0

Portland State University

4-20, 0

Northern Colorado

Portland State

3/31/2017 6:40:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

By: Thomas Hoffman, uncbears.com

GAME 1 (PDF) | GAME 2 (PDF)

Portland, Ore – The Portland State Vikings weren't the gracious hosts Northern Colorado was looking for Friday afternoon. PSU took both games of the days' double header, beating the Bears 2-0 and 7-2.

GAME 1
Northern Colorado's patient approach at the plate quickly loaded the bases in the top of the opening frame. Despite two walks and a single from Erica Dick, the Bears left the bases juiced, as Portland State halted the attack with two strikeouts and a pop out.

After stranding a runner in the bottom half of the first inning, the Vikings threatened again with two runners in scoring position in the second. With two outs, the Bears were able to catch PSU trying to stretch a single into a double, but not before both runners crossed the plate, taking the lead, 2-0.

Fast forward to the bottom of the fourth inning. Starting pitcher, Jayme Reddacliff settled into a big of a groove, retiring the first two batters of the inning. For the second time in the contest, over-aggressive base-running from the Vikings led to a 7-4-3 out at first to end the inning and keep the deficit at two.

UNC's defense continued to steal the show as the game wore on. From the fourth inning, Reddacliff and the Bears had sat down eight consecutive batters and 9-of-10, leading into the seventh inning.

Luck was not in favor for Northern Colorado, however. Despite head coach, Shana Easley sending two pinch hitters to the plate in the top of the seventh inning, all the Bears could muster was three straight fly outs.

Only an hour and a half into Friday afternoon's play, Portland State had held UNC to just two hits, both from Erica Dick, and captured the first contest of three, 2-0.

GAME 2
Portland State appeared as if they were about to start the second game of the day just as they had ended the first. A single and a walk led a Viking charge that was ultimately thwarted by stellar pressure pitching from game two starter, Valerie Vidal. Two consecutive strikeouts kept PSU at bay and gave her offense a chance at the plate to take the first lead of the contest.

In the second inning, it was again Vidal providing the dirty work, this time fielding the circle like a pro. Vidal snagged the ball out of the air for the second out and calmly handled a comebacker for the third, once again blanking the home team.

The Viking offense broke the scoring stalemate in the third inning. A single, followed by an error gave PSU runners on second and third with nobody out in the inning. UNC's second error of the inning allowed the first run across home plate.

Valerie Vidal almost wiggled her way out of the inning with minimal damage, but a second single in the inning brought both Portland State base runners home. Suddenly, UNC faced a 3-0 deficit after three innings.

Head coach, Shana Easley called in the Florida native, Kelli Kleis in the fourth inning. Unfortunately, for the Northern Colorado faithful, the Vikings could not be stopped, combining for three hits to push the fourth PSU run of the game across home plate.

Trailing, 4-0, in the top of the fifth inning, Easley's offense went straight to work. Kaley Garcia kicked the inning off with a double to left field. After two pop ups, Cheyenne Talmadge used her head, literally, to reach first on the hit-by-pitch.

Portland State's first real miscue of the afternoon came in the form of a wild pitch, allowing Garcia and Talmadge to each stroll into scoring positon. The Vikings promptly walked Erica Dick to load the bases, setting up a perfect opportunity for the freshman, Sophia Taylor. Taylor, though just in her first year at UNC, patiently waited for her pitch. She wouldn't get a good enough one to swing at, earning the free pass and the RBI on six pitches. One run was all the Bears could garner, though, as Rachel Johnson struck out before the Bears could get any momentum.

The Vikings came right back in the bottom half of the fifth inning with a vengeance. Four more hits, and despite a mid-inning pitching change to Autumn Anderson, PSU gathered in two more runs. Their five-run lead after the inning made it the Vikings' largest lead in either game.

Jordyn Wiatrak wasn't about to let Portland State run away with it, however. Wiatrak led off the sixth inning with a towering home run, drawing UNC closer, 6-2. Awarding a free pass to Kaley Garcia off an error, Garcia made them pay advancing all the way to third base on a wild pitch. Third base was as far as PSU would let Garcia go, though, forcing Kenzie Kudrna to pop out and end the inning.

Portland State added an insurance run in the bottom half of the sixth frame, utilizing another two hits to match their largest lead of the game at five.

In the seventh, Erica Dick tried all she could to bring the Bears closer, even going as far as trying to steal third base. When the Vikings picked her off at third for inning's second out, they only had to wait two more batters until Rachel Johnson struck out looking to end the game, 7-2.

KEY STAT
Total bases – Portland State compiled 20 stolen bases across both games Friday, while Northern Colorado amassed only 12.

MOST VALUABLE BEAR
Kaley Garcia – Garcia led the charge for the Bears going 2-3 (.667) at the dish with one walk, a run scored, one double and one stolen base.

IN THEIR WORDS
Shana Easley, Head Coach
"It was disappointing to come out and not play to our potential. Portland State took advantage of all of our mistakes and we beat ourselves mentally."

NOTABLES

UNC has now recorded a walk in 19 consecutive games.
The Bears still have not been shut out in back-to-back games this season.
Both Jayme Reddacliff and Valerie Vidal did not surrender an earned run Friday.
Alex Sonoqui recorded her first at-bat since UNC's series against New Mexico.

UP NEXT
The Bears will regroup and reset for one more game against Portland State, scheduled for 12PM PST Saturday, April 1. UNC hosts their first home conference games next week, facing Weber State on April 7.