Bellevue NE (VCSU) – The Valley City State University softball team split their final two games of the four-game series at Bellevue University on Saturday, March 21. The Vikings took a 4-1 win in the first game of the double header but later fell 12-6 in game two.
 
VCSU now holds a 12-13 overall record in the 2025-16 season and are 2-2 to start the first games in the Frontier Conference. Bellevue is now 11-13 overall and 2-2 in the Frontier Conference.
 
Valley City State wasted no time taking control, scoring three runs in the top of the first inning. Pascale Kihn started the rally with a single, and after an error put two runners on, Jenna Decker delivered a three-run homer to left-center to give VCSU an early 3-0 lead. Bellevue answered with a run in the bottom half on a sacrifice fly, but the Vikings limited further damage to hold a 3-1 lead after one.
 
From there, pitching and defense took over as both teams struggled to generate offense. VCSU found some base hits in the middle innings, including singles from Maddy Hazelton, Avery Kuklinski, and Madden Bogenreif, but couldn’t add to its lead. Bellevue threatened at times with base runners in multiple innings, but the Vikings consistently came up with key outs, stranding runners and maintaining the two-run cushion through six innings.
 
The Vikings added an insurance run in the seventh to seal the win. Bogenreif singled and advanced into scoring position before Kennadi Stone came through with an RBI single to right field, extending the lead to 4-1. VCSU closed the door in the bottom half with a quick three outs capturing a 4-1 win.
 
Jenna Decker led the Vikings on offence batting 2/4 with three RBIs on her home run. Avery Kuklinski was 2/2 during her plate appearances. Maddy Hazelton pitched a complete game going seven innings with six strikeouts only allowing one run. Hazelton moves to 6-8 on the year after earning the win. Bellevue’s Carly Bertolini was credited the loss after six innings pitched allowing three runs.
 
Later in the day in game two the Vikings would fall 12-6 to the Bruins. Valley City State jumped out to an early lead but couldn’t keep pace in a 12-6 loss to Bellevue. The Vikings struck first in the opening inning, taking advantage of an outfield error before Kennadi Stone delivered an RBI single to make it 1-0. Bellevue answered quickly, however, as Breanne McMurtry launched a two-run home run in the bottom half to give the Bruins a 2-1 edge after one inning.
 
VCSU battled back to even the score and briefly regain momentum. Jenna Decker tied the game with a sacrifice fly in the third, and Pascale Kihn came through with a two-run double in the fourth to knot things at 4-4. The Vikings then took a 5-4 lead in the fifth on an RBI single from Avery Kuklinski, continuing a back-and-forth stretch where both offenses found timely hits. Despite the strong middle innings at the plate, VCSU was unable to slow Bellevue’s lineup in the later innings.
 
The game turned in the bottom of the fifth, when Bellevue scored seven runs, capitalizing on key hits to gain a 11-5 lead. VCSU added a run in the sixth on an RBI double by Stone, but the deficit proved too large to overcome. The Vikings would later fall 12-6.
 
Avery Kuklinski led the Vikings offensive efforts batting 3/4 with an RBI. Kennadi Stone was 2/2 with two RBIs and a walk. VCSU Cooper Klaahsen was credited the loss. She is now 3-3 on the season. Bellevue’s Mariah Unverzagt was credited the win and is now 5-3 on the year.
 
UP NEXT: Viking Softball will host Dakota State University in their home opener on Friday, March 27 at 2:00 p.m.