VALLEY CITY, N.D. (VSCUVikings.com) – The Valley City State softball team outscored Dickinson State 14-2 on Sunday as the Vikings swept a doubleheader to remain perfect in conference play.
Playing in Valley City for the first time this season, the No. 9-ranked Vikings introduced their home fans to this year’s brand of VCSU softball: strong hitting and nearly dominant pitching and defense.
VCSU held Dickinson State to just five total hits during the doubleheader, winning game one 8-0 in five innings and taking game two by a score of 6-2.
The Vikings improve their overall record to 26-1 and are now 6-0 in conference play. Dickinson State drops to 13-12 overall and 3-3 in the North Star.
Up next: VCSU will host Dickinson State for two more games Monday at 1 and 3 p.m. The games will be played on the VCSU football turf.
VCSU 8, Dickinson State 0 (5 innings)
Viking starting pitcher Emily Smith pitched a dominant complete game to start the doubleheader. Smith gave up just one hit through five innings and recorded 11 of the 15 outs by strikeout. She held the Blue Hawks hitless until Kayla Stephens’ hard ground ball single in the top of the fifth inning.
Valley City State’s offense put up early run support for Smith, scoring four times in the bottom of the first inning. Marissa Hawkins had the big blow, drilling a bases-loaded single to right field that got by the defender and cleared the bases for an early 3-0 lead. Autumn Perry followed with a sacrifice fly to cap the first-inning rally.
Tatum Lundin singled home Hawkins in the third inning for a 5-0 lead, and then VCSU ended the game by mercy rule with three runs in the bottom of the fifth inning. Lundin tripled home the first two runs and then scored on Jayme Menard’s sacrifice fly to end the game at 8-0.
Lundin finished 2-for-3 with a run and three RBIs to lead the offense. Voni Culp went 3-for-3 and scored a run, and Hawkins was 1-for-2 with three runs and two RBIs. Valley City State finished with eight hits compared to just one by Dickinson State.
Jaya Allen started in the circle for Dickinson State. Allen allowed four hits and five runs – three earned – over two innings of work. Abi Brooks pitched 2 2/3 innings in relief, giving up four hits and three runs.
VCSU 6, Dickinson State 2
Marissa Hawkins drove in Valley City State’s first four runs in game two as the Vikings completed the doubleheader sweep with a 6-2 victory.
Hawkins delivered a two-run single in the bottom of the first inning, and then drilled a two-run double in the third inning to put the Vikings up 4-0.
Dickinson State cut the deficit to 4-2 after Jaya Allen’s two-run single in the top of the sixth inning. The Vikings answered back quickly with two insurance runs in the bottom of the inning. Joelle Aiello tripled to right-center, scoring Jayme Menard, and then Aiello came home on Voni Culp’s RBI single to make it 6-2.
The Blue Hawks put two runners on in the top of the seventh inning, but Viking pitcher Emily Smith came on to get the final two outs and record the save.
Emilee Wilson started and earned the win for Valley City State. Wilson pitched 4 1/3 innings total, giving up four hits and two runs. She walked only one and struck out five. Amber Stewart pitched two hitless innings in middle relief for the Vikings. Smith recorded the final two outs for the save.
Abi Brooks took the loss for Dickinson State after pitching four innings. Brook walked two and struck out two. She allowed three hits and four runs.
Hawkins was 2-for-2 with four RBIs to lead the Viking offense. Culp and Renee Snyder each scored two runs, and Aiello and Culp each had an RBI. VCSU finished with six hits while Dickinson State recorded four hits.
Allen drove in both of Dickinson State’s runs. Andrea Rodriguez and Sonja Lawrence each had a hit and scored a run for the Blue Hawks.