DICKINSON, N.D. – The Valley City State softball team split a pair of conference games Sunday against Presentation College, including a 2-hit shutout by Joelle Lamontagne in a 10-0 win in the second game of the day.
 
The Vikings also fell to Presentation 9-8 after a 10-inning battled in the series opener.
 
The Vikings are now 14-19 overall and 8-5 in conference play. Presentation is now 10-16 overall and 6-6 in the North Star.
 
VCSU and Presentation conclude the four-game series on Monday in Dickinson. First pitch of the doubleheader is slated for 12 p.m. CT.
 
Presentation 9, VCSU 8 (10 innings)
The Vikings and Saints were deadlocked 7-7 after seven innings, sending the NSAA teams to extra innings in the series opener. Each team scored a single run in the ninth, and Presentation added a run in the 10th, ultimately holding off VCSU in the bottom of the inning to take the game, 9-8.
 
VCSU was on the board first, scoring in each of the first two innings on RBI singles from Riley Perryman and Ashlyn Diemert. Presentation posted three runs in the third to take its first lead at 3-2.
 
Presentation held a 6-5 advantage when VCSU’s Andrea Rodriguez scored Saige Forseth on her second double of the game to hold a 6-6 tie after five innings. Alyssa DePoorter drove in Makenzee Stone with an RBI double in the sixth, but Presentation tied it again at 7-7 in the seventh to send the game to extra innings.
 
Presentation’s Breanna Dunn drove in Cassy Loa on an RBI single in the 10th inning to take the game.
 
Loa was one of four Saints with two hits in the game and added three runs and two RBI. Sarah Shevenell got the win, pitching 7 complete innings and allowing three runs on six hits. She walked two and struck out five.
 
Maddy Zander got the loss for VCSU after 7 innings of work. She allowed six runs on seven hits, struck out seven and walked just two. Brooke Gaudry pitched 3 innings for VCSU and allowed just one run on two hits while striking out three.
 
Ashlynne Copinga had three hits for the Vikings while DePoorter and Rodriguez each doubled twice. Diemert added a triple, scored a run and drove in a run. Rodriguez drove in a team-best three runs and Makenzee Stone scored three.
 
VCSU 10, Presentation 0 (5 innings)
Joelle Lamotagne shut out the Saints in game two, pitching all five innings and allowing just two hits and striking out five batters in the game.
 
VCSU’s offense produced off the bat, scoring six runs in the first inning highlighted by a 2-run double from Andrea Rodriguez. Lamontagne then drove in Marissa Hawkins on an RBI double in the second inning to build an 7-0 lead.
 
From there, Alyssa DePoorter added a pair of insurance runs on a 2-run double in the third, and Rodriguez scored DePoorter on an RBI single to make it 10-0.
 
Rodriguez was a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate with a double, a run and three RBI. DePoorter doubled for the Vikings while scoring two runs and driving in two. Lamontagne, Ashlyn Diemert, Riley Perryman and Marissa Hawkins each added a hit Sunday.
 
Camille Vestal and Cassy Loa each had a hit for Presentation. Yulissa Pena started in the circle and pitched just 2/3 of an inning for the loss. She allowed six runs on two hits and struck out two. Lauren Paredes tossed 3 and 1/3 innings in relief, allowing four runs on six hits while striking out two.