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S.D. (VCSUVikings.com)- Valley City State’s softball team completed a series sweep of Dakota State with a dominating doubleheader Sunday in Madison.
The Vikings racked up 28 hits and 28 runs on Sunday as they won 13-9 and 15-0 over the Trojans, completing a four-game sweep.
Valley City State improves to 19-25 overall and 10-12 in the North Star Athletic Association. With four conference games remaining, VCSU is sixth in the NSAA standings and is just one game back of Mayville State for fifth.
Up next: VCSU closes out the regular season with four conference games against Jamestown next weekend. VCSU hosts the Jimmies on Saturday at 1 p.m., and then plays at Jamestown on Sunday at 1 p.m.
Saturday
GM1: VCSU 8, Dakota State 4
Valley City State trailed 4-2 after the fifth inning but tied the game with two runs in the sixth and then poured on four more runs in the top of the seventh to secure the victory.
The Vikings had eight runs on nine hits. Dakota State scored its four runs on five hits.
Haley Butterfield earned the win after pitching the first six innings for VCSU. Butterfield gave up four hits and four runs. She walked five and struck out four. Emily Smith pitched the seventh inning to close out the game and gave up just one hit and struck out one.
Smith added two RBIs and a pair of hits, including an RBI triple in the sixth inning. Kadie Anderson had two hits and scored three runs, and Kelsey Hamade had a pair of hits, a run and an RBI.
GM2: VCSU 8, Dakota State 4
Cassie Pautz had four hits in game two as the Viking offense erupted for 12 hits and eight more runs. VCSU scored in each of the first three innings to go up 5-3. After Dakota State cut the deficit to 5-4, the Vikings added two runs in the sixth and one in the seventh for the final margin.
Pautz led the offense with a 4-for-5 game, scoring two runs and driving in two. Jayme Menard went 2-for-5 with two runs and an RBI. Kelli Moore and Tatum Lundin each added an RBI.
Ashley Metcalf pitched 4 2/3 innings to pick up the victory. She scattered nine hits and gave up four runs. Emily Smith pitched two scoreless innings to pick up the save.
Sunday
VCSU 13, Dakota State 9
Trailing 5-4 after three innings, the Vikings rallied with four runs in the fourth inning and four more in the sixth inning en route to the 13-9 victory.
The Vikings racked up 12 hits in the game. Emily Smith had a 3-for-4 game, and Kadie Anderson went 2-for-4 with two runs and three RBIs. Kelli Moore and Cassie Pautz each drove in two runs, while Moore and Jayme Menard collected two hits each.
Emily Smith earned the win pitching after going three scoreless innings in relief. Smith allowed just two hits and struck out one. Morgan Nalley started in the circle and went three innings, allowing six hits and four earned runs.
VCSU 15, Dakota State 0
The Vikings left no doubt in the series finale, drubbing the Trojans for 13 runs in the fourth and fifth innings en route to the 15-0 shutout. The game ended after five innings due to run rule.
VCSU collected 16 hits in the game, including a grand slam by sophomore Tatum Lundin. Seven Vikings had two or more hits, led by Lundin who went 3-for-4 with three runs and four RBIs.
Kelsey Hamade batted 3-for-3 and scored three runs from the leadoff position. Jayme Menard had two hits and two RBIs, and Cassie Pautz, Emily Smith, Kade Anderson and Haley Butterfield all had two hits each. Kelli Moore did not collect a hit in the game but drove in three runs.
Ashley Metcalf pitched a complete-game shutout for VCSU, scattering six hits over her five innings of work. Metcalf did not walk a batter and struck out three