VCSU Weekend Spring Sports Results

MADISON, S.D.  (VCSU) – The Valley City State softball team’s explosive sixth inning powered the Vikings to defeat Dakota State 18-6 in just six innings Saturday.

The Vikings totaled eight extra-base hits in Saturday’s game from Joelle Aiello, Anne-Elise Gest, Marissa Hawkins, Makenzee Stone, and Riley Perryman. Freshman Makenzee Stone went 3-for-4, including two triples, and tallied three runs and five RBIs.

Marissa Hawkins went 3-for-5 with two runs five RBIs. Anne-Elise Gest added a double and a triple with four runs and three RBIs. Riley Perryman added two doubles and four RBIs for the Vikings.

Amber Stewart got the win for VCSU, allowing just one earned run in 5.2 innings. She recorded five strikeouts and walked just two. Joelle Lamontagne started in the circle, allowing three earned runs and walking two.

Valley City State improves to 8-3 overall this season and opens the conference with a 1-0 record. Dakota State falls to 6-11 overall and 0-1 in the conference. The second game of Saturday’s scheduled doubleheader was postponed due to weather and will be made up on Sunday. The Vikings will now play three games against Dakota State on Sunday starting at 11 a.m.

The Viking bats were strong from the start as Aiello opened with a double to deep left field and scored on a double from Gest. A triple from Stone scored Gest and Autumn Perry‘s single to deep right-center scored Stone as VCSU led 3-0.

Dakota State answered in the bottom of the first inning with five runs on three hits to take a 5-3 advantage.

The Vikings posted two more runs in the second inning on an RBI single from Stone to tie the game, 5-5. Valley City State scored the go-ahead run in the fourth inning on a triple from Gest, followed by an RBI single from Hawkins to lead 7-5. The Trojans then scored on a Viking error in the bottom of the fourth to trail by just a run.

Valley City State put the game away in the sixth inning, tallying 11 runs on eight hits. Vikings with a scoring run in the sixth inning include Danika Balvik, Kailee Fraser, Keana Harmon, Andrea Rodriguez, Sierra Crocker, Aiello, Gest, Hawkins (2), and Stone (2). Vikings with at least a hit in the sixth inning include Crocker, Harmon, Rodriguez, Stone, Hawkins (2), and Perryman (2). The Viking defense finished with three straight outs to take the game in six innings due to the 10-run rule.

Xitlali Lopez took the loss for the Trojans, allowing 14 earned runs in 5.0 innings pitched. She recorded five strikeouts, three walks, and hit three batters.

Xitlali Lopez also recorded an RBI double for the Trojans, scoring two. Julia Andersen, Sarah Torres, Lia Chan, and Melissa Krapf each recorded a hit for Dakota State.

UP NEXT: Valley City State will play Dakota State for a tripleheader on Sunday at 11 a.m.

Baseball

Suspended

MADISON, S.D.  (VCSU) – The Valley City State softball team picked up a pair of wins in a sweep of Sunday’s doubleheader over Dakota State, 10-0 and 9-1.

Joelle Aiello opened the day with a leadoff single in the first game to record her 200th career hit. She is one of just three players in VCSU history to reach the milestone.

The Vikings improve to 10-3 overall and 3-0 in the NSAA. Dakota State drops to 6-13 overall and 0-3 in conference play. The Vikings and Trojans finish the four-game series with a game on Monday at 1 p.m.

VCSU 10, DSU 0
Amber Stewart and Emily Smith combined for a 10-0 shutout effort of Dakota State in the first game of the day.

Stewart got the win in the circle, working 4.1 innings, allowing just three hits, striking out nine and walking one. Smith worked 2.2 innings in relief, striking out two and walking one.

The Vikings had a balanced scoring effort, putting up a pair of runs in the first and second innings, one run in the fourth, two in the fifth, and finished the game with three runs in the seventh.

Marissa Hawkins drove in three runs and Sierra Crocker drove in two, while four other Vikings each drove in one run. Joelle Aiello, Sierra Crocker, Makenzee Stone, and Jessica Husband led the Vikings with two hits each in the game. Aiello also posted a game-high three runs scored.

Xitlali Lopez got the loss in a complete game for the Trojans, allowing seven earned runs on 13 hits, walking six, and striking out four. Lopez, Melissa Krapf, and Mackenzie Sims each recorded a hit for Dakota State.

VCSU 9, DSU 1 (5 innings)
Emily Smith pitched a complete game as the Viking offense scored nine runs to finish the second game in just five innings Sunday. Smith allowed two hits, walked one, and struck out seven to earn the win in the circle.

Makenzee Stone‘s single in the first inning scored Hawkins and Crocker to take an early 2-0 lead. Valley City State then scored three runs on a Trojan dropped fly ball in the third inning to expand its lead to 5-0.

Dakota State put their only run on the board on a Viking wild throw in the fourth inning.

Marissa Hawkins opened the fifth inning with a double followed by a base-hit from Stone. Riley Perryman continued the rally with an RBI single to right field followed by a sac-fly from Brianna Blue to score Stone. Jessica Husband smashed an RBI triple to deep right field and then scored on a wild pitch to round out the inning as the Vikings held a 9-1 lead.

Dakota State’s Lia Chan opened the bottom of the fifth with a single and advanced on a stolen base to get into scoring position for the Trojans, but the Vikings finished with three straight outs to finish the game, courtesy of the mercy rule.

Hawkins and Stone each went 2-for-2, while Hawkins scored three runs and Stone scored two. Stone also added two RBIs. Husband finished going 2-for-3 with one run scored and one RBI.

Xotchil Lopez got the loss for Dakota State, working 4.2 innings and allowing five earned runs. She also walked eight batters and struck out one. Lopez and Chan each recorded a hit for the Trojans.

UP NEXT: Valley City State will complete the four-game series at Dakota State with a game on Monday at 1 p.m.