Portland State softball lost its regular-season finale, 10-2, to Sacramento State on Apr. 25 as the Hornets completed a series sweep in six innings at Shea Stadium.
The game saw Portland State record six hits, their best offensive performance of the series, but Sacramento State managed eight hits and took advantage of three Viking errors. Early scoring and a six-run sixth inning helped the Hornets secure a run-rule victory.
With this result, Portland State finishes the regular season with a record of 14-30 overall and 4-11 in Big Sky Conference play. The team will enter the Big Sky Tournament from May 4 to May 8 as the No. 6 seed. Sacramento State improved to a record of 30-17 overall and secured the No. 4 seed with this win.
Sacramento State started strong by scoring three runs in the first inning through a two-run double and an error by Portland State, then added another run in the second for an early lead. In response, Jacobi Coombs walked and Grace Johnson singled before Breanna Lutz drove in a run for Portland State in the third inning. The Hornets extended their lead with two more runs in the fifth inning using extra-base hits.
In the sixth inning, Sierra Llamas singled for Portland State and later scored on an RBI single from Gracie Toney to bring it to 6-2. However, Sacramento State responded with a grand slam that ended the game early at 10-2 under run-rule conditions.
Johnson and Llamas each had two hits for Portland State during this loss. Llamas led her team throughout the series with four hits and posted a .444 batting average (4-for-9). Giselle Pantoja took her fifth loss of the season after pitching five innings before Claire Masters came on as relief pitcher.
Looking ahead, Portland State will focus on postseason play at next week’s Big Sky Tournament.
