Weber State University Athletics
Weber State University
Portland State
Wildcats roll past Vikings for Big Sky series win
3/26/2016 10:10:00 PM | Softball
HILLSBORO, Ore. – Riding a huge wave of momentum from the opening pitch, the Wildcats steamed past the Vikings to earn a win in their first Big Sky Conference series of the season.
Senior third baseman Alyson Kulp was 4-for-5 at the plate, and junior designated player KyRae Kogianes was 2-for-5 with three RBIs as the Weber State University softball team rolled to a 10-2 victory over Portland State on Saturday afternoon at the Gordon Faber Complex.
The Wildcats improved to 2-1 in Big Sky play, 18-12 overall, while the Vikings fell to 1-2 and 7-17. The contest wrapped up a 30-game out-of-state stretch, with Weber State set to make its in-state debut on Tuesday against Utah in Salt Lake City. WSU will host its first Big Sky Conference series on Friday and Saturday against Northern Colorado at Wildcat Softball Field in Ogden.
Weber State came out with scorching bats as freshman outfielder JaeCie Wilson led off with a single, followed by a double from Kulp down the left field line. Senior shortstop Aubrey Whitmer had an RBI single up the middle to score Wilson, before Kogianes hit a two RBI single up the middle to make it 3-0 before the first out was recorded.
Senior first baseman Krystin Kubo had a two-out RBI single that scored Kogianes, as Weber State sent eight of its nine batters to the plate in the top of the inning.
After recording three quick outs in the bottom of the inning, the Wildcats tacked on another run in the second as sophomore catcher Molly Horne had a bases-loaded plunk for an RBI that made it 5-0.
Kubo led off the third with a single, and the Wildcats eventually made it 7-0 after sophomore second baseman McKinley Brinkerhoff scored on a throwing error by the Vikings' catcher and Kulp had an RBI single to right field that scored Wilson.
With a 7-0 lead in the sixth, Kubo reached on an RBI fielder's choice that scored Kogianes to make it 8-0 and send the game into run-rule territory.
Portland State scored twice in the bottom of the sixth to cut it to 8-2 and force the seventh inning.
The Wildcats responded with three straight singles to start out the seventh, loading the bases, and Whitmer had a sacrifice fly RBI to make it 9-2, with Kogianes bringing in Wilson for the final run.
