– Vikings, Waldorf trade 3-2 wins, Friday

VALLEY CITY (VCSU.com) – Valley City State University and Waldorf University split a North Star Athletic Association baseball doubleheader Friday afternoon in Valley City.

Valley City State rallied in the late innings for a 3-2 victory in game one, handing Waldorf just its second conference loss of the season. In game two, Waldorf jumped out to an early 3-0 lead and held on for their own 3-2 victory.

Valley City State moves to 15-16 overall and 10-6 in the North Star Athletic Association. Waldorf is now 24-16 overall and 14-2 in conference play.

Up next: The Vikings and Warriors rematch for another doubleheader Saturday at 12 p.m. in Valley City. Saturday is also Senior Day for VCSU as the Vikings recognize 14 seniors on the baseball team.

VCSU 3, Waldorf 2
Valley City State fell behind 2-0 early after Waldorf’s Cal Fazzio hit a 2-run home run in the top of the second inning. Those were the only runs the Warriors would score as VCSU starting pitcher Phillip Almanza and reliever Jacob Rosales combined for seven scoreless innings to end the game.

The Vikings chipped away late, scoring one run in the sixth on a Waldorf throwing error and then tying the game in the seventh on Jorun Hamre‘s RBI groundout.

With the game tied in the bottom of the eighth, Kody Lane opened the inning with a single. Pinch runner Shaun Kourajian moved to third with no outs after a passed ball and a throwing error. Waldorf pitcher Mac Pearson got two big outs, but then hit Emmanuel Leyva and intentionally walked Grant Wehseler after falling behind 3-0. With the bases loaded, VCSU’s Brady Smith fell behind in the count, 0-2, but battled back to work a bases-loaded walk that scored Kourajian for the eventual game-winning run.

Waldorf’s Matt Garcia reached on a two-out single in the top of the ninth, but Rosales finished the game with a strikeout as he struck out the side in the ninth inning.

Rosales pitched the final two innings and picked up the win after allowing just two hits and striking out five. Almanza had a strong start in a no decision, scattering eight hits, allowing just the two runs and striking out six in seven innings of work.

Mac Pearson took the loss for Waldorf, pitching all eight innings and giving up just five hits and three runs. He walked three and struck out 11.

Smith finished the game 2-for-3 with a run and RBI. Levya, Hamre and Lane each had a hit.

Fazzio homered and was 2-for-4 with a run and two RBIs to lead Waldorf’s offense. Catcher Brett Stenlund was 3-for-4.

Waldorf 3, VCSU 2
Waldorf scored single runs in the first, second and third innings – including a solo home run by Alejandro Gonzalez in the third – to build an early 3-0 lead.

Nathan Demarais got one back for VCSU in the fourth inning, singling home pinch runner Xavier Merritt to make it 3-1. In the fifth inning, Grant Wehseler doubled and later scored on Jorun Hamre‘s sacrifice fly to cut the Viking deficit to 3-2.

The Vikings had a runner at second base with two outs in both the sixth and seventh innings, but could not push across the game-tying run against Waldorf relief pitcher Andrew Benns.

Benns pitched the final 1 1/3 innings for Waldorf to pick up the save. He gave up no hits and struck out one. Heath Chapman earned the win, going 5 2/3 innings. Chapman scattered eight hits, gave up two runs and struck out five.

After closing game one, VCSU’s Jacob Rosales started game two and went six innings for the Vikings. Rosales took the loss after giving up five hits and three runs. He did not walk a batter and struck out eight. Christian Peery pitched a scoreless seventh inning for VCSU.

Garrett Gillen had a pair of hits for Waldorf and Gonzalez hit a solo home run.

Wehseler had two doubles for VCSU, while Nathan Demarais was 2-for-2 with a double and an RBI. Four other Vikings had one hit each.