PORTLAND, Oregon – Southern Utah (9-15) opened Big Sky play by picking up two wins over Portland State (6-21). The Thunderbirds trailed the Vikings, 3-0 to enter the final inning of the opening game before a fifth-inning rally pushed SUU past PSU for a 5-3 win. The Thunderbirds kept the momentum rolling through the second game for a 5-4 victory.
“At times it certainly wasn't pretty, but we competed all day and figured out a way to get a couple of wins,” SUU head coach Tom Gray said.
Portland State jumped ahead of the Thunderbirds, 2-0, in the opening inning. The following three innings were scoreless from both teams before the Vikings tacked up a third run in the fifth. The game saw a 3-0 Portland lead to enter the final inning. Southern Utah took an explosive seventh-inning rally to earn the win.
Taylor Dumas walked to get the Thunderbirds going before Tanisha Anderson reached first on a fielder's choice to push Dumas to second. Kylee Wolf homered for three runs to tie up the game before Sara Park singled up the middle and Lynsdey Healey reached on a fielder's choice.
“Kylee Wolf stepped up with a clutch homerun in the game,” Gray stated. “She has been squaring the ball up pretty consistently so it was really just a matter of time before she took one out.”
Kaitlin Williams doubled down the left field line before Jordan Theurer reached first on an error to advance Williams to third and score Healey. Kelli Hales singled to center field to score Williams. The Vikings couldn't manage to score a run in the bottom of the seventh as the Thunderbirds earned a 5-3 comeback win.
Hanna Wynn guided Southern Utah to its win in the circle.
Portland State knocked a homer over the right field fence in the bottom of the first to take a quick lead over the Thunderbirds. The Vikings scored a second run in the bottom of two for an RBI to extend their lead to 2-0.
The third inning was scoreless before Southern Utah rallied three runs in the fourth to push by the Vikings. Williams got on base on a fielding error before Jordan Theurer doubled down the left field line to advance Williams to third. Kelli Hales singled to advance Theurer to third and score Williams.
Katie Greenberg kept the scoring rolling by knocking a single through the left side to advance Hales to third and score Theurer. Hales stole home to hand the Thunderbirds their third run and creep past the Vikings, 3-2.
Portland State failed to score in the fourth before Wolf doubled down the left field line to open the fifth inning for Southern Utah. Wolf advanced to third by a Park sac bunt before Healey reached first on a fielding error to score Wolf and extend Southern Utah's lead, 4-2.
The Vikings tacked up two runs in the bottom of the sixth to tie up the game at four to enter the final inning. Wolf walked and stole second in the top of the seventh before Park singled to center field to push Wolf to third. Park stole second before a fielding error allowed Wolf to score and place the Thunderbirds ahead by one. Portland State failed to score in the bottom of the seventh to hand SUU the win, 5-4.
Katie Greenberg pitched the Thunderbirds to their second win.
“Katie Greenberg settled in during the middle innings and did a fine job,” Gray commented. “We could have done a much better job of running the bases in the second game.”
Southern Utah will take on Portland State one last time on Mar. 22 before returning home to host Dixie State on Mar. 25.
