EUGENE, Ore. – After getting rained out on the first day of the Oregon Invitational, the Loyola Marymount University softballl team split on its first day of play in Eugene, Ore., as the team beat Portland State 9-8, but fell to No. 11 Oregon 7-5. 
 
Portland State put the first run on the board in the bottom of the first, while the Lions responded in the top of the second after Megan Dedrick scored off of a double from Sierra Marshall. 
 
Portland State then put two runs up in the bottom of the third and the fourth and then one in the fifth to take a 6-1 lead. 
 
The Lions gained some momentum in the top of the sixth, as Dedrick collected two RBIs after Page Mindedahl and Andrea Gonzalez scored. The Vikings responded with another run in the bottom of the sixth to take a 7-3 lead. 
 
LMU tied things up in the top of the seventh, starting with a run from Morgan Debord of off a double from Molly Grumbo. Grumbo then scored after Gonzalez was reached on a fielding error. Gonzalez made it home after a sacrifice fly from Allisha Martinez. Marshall hit a single, which tied things up after Hailey Jackson scored. 
 
PSU wasn't able to score in the seventh, forcing extra innings. The teams went scoreless in the eighth, but both scored in the ninth. 
 
Grumbo scored the first extra inning run after Gonzalez doubled, but the Vikings tied things up, forcing a 10^thinning. 
 
Marshall had the game winning run after Lauryn Garcia doubled to left center. Portland State wasn't able to score in the bottom of the 10^th.
 
The Lions had 14 total hits, while Portland State had 14. Desiree Moreno went 1-2 at the plate, while Gonzalez and Marshall both went 2-5. Dedrick and Marshall both led the team in RBIs with two. 
 
Mallory Eckroth pitched 3.0 innings and allowed four hits and four runs. Brittany Steenbergen pitched 3.0 innings, allowing seven hits and three runs. Linnay Wilson came in to take the win, pitching 4.0 innings, giving up three hits and one run. All three pitchers had one strikeout. 
 
Up 1-0 on the day, the Lions battled against No. 11 Oregon, but they couldn't hold on. 
 
The Ducks put two runs on the board in the bottom of the first, and then another run in the bottom of the second. 
 
LMU put its first run on the board in the top of the third, after a single from Gonzalez that sent Debord home. Oregon then put four runs on the board in the bottom of the third. 
Down 7-1, LMU responded in the top of the fourth with a run from Moreno and a run from Dedrick after Garcia singled. 
 
The Lions continued their momentum in the top of the fifth, as Grumbo scored off of a sacrifice fly from Dedrick and Gonzalez scored on a passed ball, to trail the ducks by only two. 
 
The teams went scoreless for the rest of the game, ending with a 7-5 loss. 
 
The Lions had five hits, compared to Oregon's 10. Grumbo went 1-2 at the plate, while Gonzalez went 2-3. 
 
Wilson picked up her fourth loss of the season after pitching 1.1 innings and giving up four hits and three runs. Eckroth pitched 4.2 innings and gave up six hits and four runs. 
 
Up next: The Lions will be back on the field on Sunday to take on Seattle University and Portland State.