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.