Weber State University’s softball team started their Big Sky Conference games 2–1 against the Portland State University Vikings in a 3-game series on March 28 and 29. Over the last 15 years of competing against each other, the Wildcats’ record is 22 wins and 30 losses against the Vikings.
The Wildcats went into the series on a two-game winning streak after beating the University of San Diego 6–5 on March 22 and Utah State University 4–3 on March 25.
The ‘Cats started the first game gaining a 2–0 lead after the first inning with Sadie Kirk hitting a single and causing two RBIs scored by Taegan Smith and Riley Whalen. They kept adding pressure by scoring additional runs in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings to secure the 6–1 win, holding Portland State to score only one run. Pitcher Cali McCraw won the contest 5–4.
For the second game of the doubleheader on March 28, the Wildcats were looking to jump on the Vikings early. At the end of the first inning, the game was tied 1–1 with runs scored by Lorraine Alo for the Vikings and Smith with a home run for the ‘Cats. The game was close as the Vikings took a 4–3 lead in the third inning and never stopped. They kept adding insurance runs to get the win. The weekend series was tied as the Vikings took the second game 6–9.
In the third and final game of the weekend, Weber got their first of two runs in the second inning with a home run from Olivia Birkinshaw, and Whalen had a sacrifice fly out to center field, sending freshman Jordan McMahon to score. Abby Grundy hit a home run in the fourth inning, and Whalen scored off of a fielder’s choice call on Kirk. With this, the ‘Cats shut down the Vikings and won the final game 4–0, winning the weekend series in conference play 2–1.
On March 31, the ‘Cats played at home against in-state rival Utah State. These two had already played this season twice, with the Wildcats winning 4–3 on March 25 and losing 11–10 on Feb. 21.
The Wildcats started off slow, being down 1–0 through the first two innings but got the ball rolling by scoring four runs in the third. Taegan Smith, Kiaira Smith and Birkinshaw all hit a home run to take a 3–1 lead. Birkinshaw also hit another home run in the fifth inning which led the Wildcats to a 7–6 win. Brooke Merrill got the win as the pitcher in the contest.
