DICKINSON, N.D. (VCSUVikings.com) – The Valley City State University baseball team experienced all the highs and lows Wednesday in Dickinson as they split a conference doubleheader against Mayville State University.
The Viking saw an early 8-run lead evaporate in game one, rallied to tie the game in the top of the ninth, but then lost 12-10 on a walk-off home run. In game two, the Vikings jumped out to a big lead and then withstood a late Mayville rally to hang on for a 10-6 victory.
With the split, Valley City State moves to 14-15 overall and 9-5 in the North Star Athletic Association. The Vikings are currently third in the NSAA standings, four games back of Bellevue University (13-1) and Waldorf University (13-1). The Vikings host Waldorf for a four-game series on Friday and Saturday. Mayville State is now 12-21 overall and 6-12 in the NSAA.
Mayville State 12, Valley City State 10
Aiden Brook hit a 3-run home run in the first inning and followed with a 2-run single in the third inning as the Vikings jumped out to a 9-1 lead after scoring five runs in the first and four in the third.
Mayville State chipped away and eventually took a 10-9 lead after scoring three runs in the bottom of the seventh. Down to its last out in the top of the ninth inning, Austin Smith stole second base to get in scoring position and then crossed the plate on Emmanuel Leyva’s clutch two-out single to tie the game at 10-10.
The momentum was short lived as Mayville’s Jared McCorrister launched a walk-off two-run home run in the bottom of the ninth.
Marcus Niemann started on the mound for VCSU, working five innings and allowing nine hits and seven runs. Christian Peery pitched the sixth and seventh innings, giving up three hits and three runs. Jaden Scott came on for the eighth and ninth innings and took the loss for VCSU.
Brook finished 2-for-5 at the plate with a run and five RBIs. Leyva went 3-for-5 with two runs and two RBIs, and Grant Wehseler had two hits and two RBIs. VCSU finished with 11 hits, including Brook’s home run and doubles by Leyva and Kody Lane.
Mayville State was led offensively by McCorrister and Jonathan Pluth, who both homered and drove in four runs. Zach Giesbrecht pitched four shutout innings in relief for the Comets, giving up just one hit. Josh Rodriguez blew the save in the ninth but earned the win after McCorrister’s walk-off home run.
VCSU 10, Mayville State 6
Aiden Brook and Emmanuel Leyva both hit solo home runs as the Vikings built a 5-1 lead after five innings, scoring two runs in the first, one in the third and two more in the fifth.
After Mayville State cut the lead to 5-2 after the sixth inning, the Vikings erupted for five insurance runs in the top of the seventh – capped by Christian Peery’s RBI single that put VCSU up 10-2.
The Vikings needed most of those insurance runs as Mayville State scored four runs in the bottom of the seventh – and had the tying run on deck – before Shaun Kourajian took over on the mound and recorded a groundout to end the game and record a one-out save.
Jacob Miller started on the mound and gave the Vikings 3 2/3 strong innings, allowing just two hits and one run. Miller walked four and struck out two. Brady Engebretson earned the win after pitching 2 1/3 innings of relief. Engebretson gave up just one hit and one run, walking two and striking out one. It was Engebretson’s second win in three days after he pitched 2 2/3 scoreless innings Monday in a victory at Viterbo University.
Leyva had another big game at the plate, going 3-for-4 with three runs and an RBI. Leyva finished the doubleheader with six hits, five runs and three RBIs, and he extended his hitting streak to eight games. Over that streak, Leyva is batting .441 and has raised his season average to a team-best .381. He also leads the team in slugging percentage (.536) and on-base percentage (.459).
Brook went 2-for-4 with a pair of runs and three RBIs in the 10-6 victory. He finished the doubleheader with four hits, two home runs and eight RBIs, and now leads the team with four home runs and 27 RBIs this season.
Jorun Hamre and Brady Smith both had a hit and two RBIs in the victory.