Jacob Rosales pitched a two-hitter in game two Saturday as the Valley City State baseball team handed Bellevue University its first conference loss of the season during a doubleheader split in Valley City.
The Bruins cruised to a 13-0 victory in game one behind a complete-game shutout by Stephen Knapp. Rosales’ gem in game two highlighted a 2-1 victory by the Vikings.
Valley City (VCSU) Valley City State moves to 9-12 overall and 4-2 in the North Star Athletic Association. Bellevue University is now 20-14 overall and 9-1 in the North Star.
Up next: The Vikings and Bruins conclude their four-game series with a doubleheader Sunday at Charlie Brown Field. First pitch is set for 12 p.m.
Bellevue 13, VCSU 0
Bellevue scored four runs in the top of the fifth inning to take a 5-0 lead and then broke the game wide open in the late innings of game one.
The Bruins finished with 13 runs on 14 hits – including six doubles and one triple – and did not commit an error. The Vikings managed four hits and had a pair of errors.
Tommy Hansen led the Bruins with three hits, while JT Patterson had two doubles and drove in a game-high five runs. Travis Tanaka had a pair of hits and three RBIs. Kory Longaker, Wataru Kazama and Austin Alexander each had two hits as well.
Knapp was dominant on the mound for Bellevue, giving up just four hits and no runs over nine innings. He walked two and struck out 10.
Phillip Almanza started for VCSU and was solid through five innings, allowing five hits and five runs – only one of which was earned. He did not walk anyone and struck out four.
Grant Wehseler, Sal Avila, Aiden Brook and Jorun Hamre each had a hit for VCSU.
VCSU 2, Bellevue 1
Jacob Rosales (pictured) gave up just two hits as he was lights-out on the mound for VCSU in game two.
Rosales struck out eight and walked just two in the seven-inning game. The only blemish came when Bellevue’s Cody Banks homered to lead off the top of the seventh inning. A hit batter and sacrifice bunt put the tying run on second base, but Rosales struck out the final two batters to secure the victory.
Valley City State scored both of its runs in the bottom of the fifth inning. A walk by Austin Smith and sacrifice bunt by Jayden Shipman put a runner on second base. Nate Soulis then delivered a clutch pinch-hit double, scoring VCSU’s first run of the game. Sal Avila followed with a two-out RBI single, scoring pinch runner Alexandro Valenzuela for a 2-0 lead
VCSU finished with six hits in the game, including two by Jorun Hamre. Avila and Soulis each drove in runs.
Bellevue pitcher Anthony Alvarado took the tough loss, giving up six hits and two runs over six innings of work. He walked three and struck out four.
