This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2013, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Southern Utah was unable to find any offense in the opening round of the Big Sky Conference softball tournament at Idaho State University in Pocatello, Idaho.
The third-seeded Thunderbirds (16-33) were shutout by stingy Portland State, 8-0, which limited SUU to a pair of hits. Southern Utah will play the loser of between top-seeded Idaho State and fourth-place Sacramento State on Friday.
The Vikings scored a pair of runs in the first inning, adding another in the fourth and then putting up a five-spot to clinch the win in the fifth. PSU right fielder Aubrey Nitschelm went 3-for-3, including a walk off home run.