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City, ND (VCSUvikings.com)- The Valley City State baseball team earned its first win of the season Saturday, taking the opener in a doubleheader split with Dickinson State.
The Vikings pushed across eight runs and got strong pitching from Andrew Frank and Andrew Hirsch as they won game Saturday in Valley City, 8-1.
The Blue Hawks bounced back with a 13-5 victory in game two to split the doubleheader.
Up next: Valley City State (1-8) wraps up the fall season by traveling to the University of Winnipeg for a doubleheader Saturday, Oct. 8. Dickinson State (3-5) is off until the spring season begins.
VCSU 8, Dickinson State 1
Andrew Frank and Andrew Hirsch combined to allow just four hits and one run as VCSU won the opener Saturday, 8-1.
Frank started and earned the win after giving up just three hits and a run in five innings of work. Hirsch pitched four scoreless innings of relief, allowing just one hit and earning the save for VCSU.
The Vikings took an early lead with two runs in the bottom of the first inning as they never trailed in the game. A walk by Anthony Necochea led off the inning. Jared Meiklejohnand Brady Anderson followed with back-to-back singles as Anderson drove in Necochea for a 1-0 lead. Meiklejohn later came around to score on a wild pitch.
VCSU added another run in the second off an RBI single from Meiklejohn that scored Grant Wehseler.
The Vikings also scored single runs in the sixth and seventh innings and broke the game open with a 3-run rally in the eighth.
Four different Vikings had two hits in the game as VCSU scored its eight runs on 10 hits. Dickinson had one run on four hits.
Anthony Necochea went 2-for-3 with two runs and an RBI; Meiklejohn finished 2-for-3 with a run and two RBIs; Brady Anderson was 2-for-4 with an RBI; and Brady Smithwent 2-for-5 with an RBI.
Lucas Rissler had two hits and scored a run for Dickinson. Jalen Lane took the loss on the mound after going seven innings for the Blue Hawks, allowing nine hits and five runs.
Dickinson State 13, VCSU 5
The Blue Hawks bounced back in game two, scoring 10 runs in the first four innings to take early command of a 13-5 victory.
Trevor Oldham had three hits and five RBIs, and Lucas Rissler had three hits and four RBIs to pace Dickinson’s offensive outburst. The Blue Hawks pounded out 15 hits in the game for 13 runs.
Valley City State scored its five runs on seven hits. Nate Bagby led the Vikings with three hits and a pair of RBIs.
Dickinson’s Joey Buchanan worked five innings for the win. The Blue Hawk starter allowed just four hits and two runs.
Valley City State starter Jonathan Vance was tagged with the loss after giving up four hits and six runs in two innings of work.