ABERDEEN, S.D. (VCSUVikings.com) – The Valley City State and Dakota State softball teams battled to another split Monday during a conference doubleheader at the Presentation College Dome.
Valley City’s bats started the day hot as they coasted to an 8-0 victory in game one. Game two was a back-and-forth battle with Dakota State striking last for a 4-3 victory, taking the lead on Jasmin Lucero’s 2-run home run in the top of the seventh inning.
With the four-game series split, Valley City State is now 29-10 overall and 12-5 in the North Star Athletic Association. Dakota State moves to 17-20 overall and 11-9 in the NSAA.
Up next: Valley City State is scheduled to play conference games in Forest City, Iowa, April 21-22 against Waldorf University and Presentation College. Dakota State plays a four-game series at Dickinson State this coming weekend.
VCSU 8, Dakota State 0
VCSU pitchers Haley Butterfield and Emily Smith combined for a two-hit shutout in game one as the Vikings rolled to an 8-0 win in six innings.
The Viking offense erupted for four runs on five hits in the bottom of the first inning, setting the tone early. VCSU added single runs in the second and third innings, and then put the game away with two runs in the bottom of the sixth – including the game-ending RBI on a pinch-hit single from Renee Snyder.
Valley City State finished with 15 hits in the game. Dakota State managed just two hits.
Butterfield started in the circle for VCSU and went 4 2/3 shutout innings. She allowed just two hits, walked only one and struck out one. Emily Smith came on in the fifth and went 1 1/3 perfect innings to finish the game.
Joelle Aiello went 4-for-4 at the top of VCSU’s order and scored three runs. Five different Vikings had at least two hits each. Jayme Menard homered and doubled as she went 2-for-3 with two runs and two RBIs. Kelli Moore had two hits, scored twice and drove in two. Kelsey Hamade and Kadie Anderson both had a pair of hits as well.
Xitlali Lopez and Jasmin Lucero each had hits for Dakota State. Stefani Gollin took the loss in the circle for Dakota State, pitching the complete game and allowing eight runs and 15 hits.
Dakota State 4, VCSU 3
The lead changed twice in the last three half-innings of Monday’s finale, and Dakota State struck last with a 2-run home run off the bat of Jasmin Lucero.
VCSU trailed 2-1 entering the bottom of the sixth, but Viking senior Kelsey Hamade delivered a two-out, two-run single to give the Vikings a 3-2 lead heading to the seventh.
Dakota State did not go away in the top of the seventh. Xitlali Lopez reached first on a one-out single and then Lucero followed with a no-doubter over the left-field fence, giving Dakota State a 4-3 lead. VCSU put a runner on first in the bottom of the seventh, but could not tie the game as Dakota State salvaged a doubleheader split.
Lopez pitched a complete game for Dakota State – her second of the series. She scattered nine hits and allowed three runs, walked three and struck out two.
Nichole Reed pitched the first six innings for the Vikings, giving up nine hits and two runs. She did not walk anyone and struck out four. Emily Smith came on for the seventh inning and took the loss, allowing three hits and two runs.
Hamade went 3-for-4 with a run and two RBIs to lead VCSU’s offense. Kelli Moore added two hits, including the 200th of her impressive career. The Vikings had nine hits in the game.
Dakota State collected 12 hits in the game, led by a 3-for-4 day from Lucero – who also scored one and drove in three. Taylor Poe and Lopez each had two hits in the victory.