TUCSON, ARIZ.  (VCSU.com)  – The Viking softball team bounced back from its first loss of the season with an impressive sweep Saturday in Tucson, Ariz.

After suffering their first loss of the year Friday, the Vikings came back Saturday with two big wins against teams appearing in the preseason Top 25 poll. VCSU, ranked No. 25 in the poll, scored six runs in the first inning and rolled to a 14-0 shutout of No. 15-ranked University of St. Francis. In the second game of the day, the Vikings scored the final four runs in a 4-2 victory over Aquinas College. Aquinas was receiving votes in the preseason poll

Valley City State improves its record to 17-1 this season. The Vikings have Sunday off in Tucson before playing three games on Monday. University of St. Francis falls to 8-4 overall this season. Aquinas College drops to 9-6 overall. The first regular season Top 25 poll is due out on Tuesday afternoon.

Up next: Valley City State plays three games Monday in Tucson, starting with Roosevelt University at 11 a.m. Central Time.

VCSU 14, University of St. Francis 0
The Vikings left little doubt in their Top 25 matchup against St Francis. Renee Snyder and Kadie Anderson hit home runs in the top of the first inning, and three pitchers combined for a shutout as the Vikings blanked St. Francis in five innings, 14-0

VCSU’s offense racked up 18 hits in the game, including a three-run home run by Snyder to start the game and a two-run blast by Anderson to cap the six-run first inning. VCSU added a single run in the third inning and then put the game out of reach with seven more runs in the top of the fourth inning.

Amber Stewart started in the circle and picked up her first win of the season for VCSU. Stewart pitched three shutout innings, allowing only two hits and walking two. Jami Nalley and Nichole Reed both pitched a perfect inning to finish off the shutout. The game ended after five innings due to run-rule.

Kadie Anderson went 3-for-4 at the plate, scoring three runs and driving in three. Riley Perryman had three hits and scored two runs. Joelle Aiello also totaled three hits, scored twice and picked up an RBI. Snyder’s three-run home run in the first inning was part of her game-high four RBIs. She finished the game 2-for-4 and scored twice. Marissa Hawkins and Tatum Lundin each had a pair of hits.

VCSU 4, Aquinas College 2
The Vikings rallied from a 2-0 deficit in the late innings, scoring three runs in the fifth and one in the sixth en route to a 4-2 victory over Aquinas College.

Emily Smith struck out 13 batters as she pitched a complete game for the win. Smith allowed just three hits and two runs.

Aquinas College scored single runs in the second and fourth innings to take a 2-0 lead. The Vikings rallied back with three runs in the top of the fifth inning. Tatum Lundin opened the inning with a one-out single and then came around to score on Jayme Menard‘s RBI double. Voni Culp tied the game with an RBI single and then Joelle Aiello scored the go-ahead run after an Aquinas throwing error.

The Vikings tacked on an insurance run in the top of the sixth inning after back-to-back doubles by Marissa Hawkins and Autumn Perry. Aquinas put its first runner on in the bottom of the seventh inning, but Smith struck out the final three batters to seal VCSU’s 17th win of the season.

Aiello and Hawkins each had two hits and scored a run to lead the VCSU offense. Culp, Perry and Menard each had a hit and an RBI.