VALLEY CITY, N.D. (VCSUVikings.com)– Valley City State University scored eight runs in the sixth inning Monday, breaking open a back-and-forth game en route to a 14-7 non-conference victory against Presentation College.
Christian Peery’s second home run of the day capped the big sixth inning – putting the Vikings ahead 13-7 – and Aaron Schuster pitched three shutout innings to close out the win.
Valley City State improves to 16-18 overall. Presentation College drops to 18-20 overall. The two teams will meet on the field again this weekend for a four-game conference series. Saturday’s doubleheader is currently scheduled for 1 p.m. in Aberdeen, S.D. Sunday’s doubleheader is scheduled for 1 p.m. in Valley City. The two teams are currently third and fourth in the NSAA standings. If they remain in those positions, they will also face each other in the first round of the NSAA Tournament starting May 3 in Valley City.
On Monday, Valley City State struck first in the bottom of the second inning. Aiden Brook and Jorun Hamre opened the inning with back-to-back singles, and then Brook came in to score when Nate Soulis grounded into a double play. The Vikings loaded the bases with one out in the third inning, and Jorun Hamre pushed across a run with a sacrifice fly to make it 2-0 in favor of the Vikings. In the fourth inning, Peery pulled a pitch over the right field fence for his first home run and a 3-0 lead.
The Saints broke through in the top of the fifth, tying the game with back-to-back two-out hits. Kyle Angielski’s RBI double scored Jesse Spangler to make it 3-1, and then Zane Hunt hit a two-run single to tie the game at 3-3.
Valley City State struck back in the fifth inning, loading the bases with no outs on a leadoff single by Austin Smith and back-to-back walks. The Saints limited the damage with a double play, but Smith crossed the plate to put the Vikings back ahead 4-3, and Grant Wehseler later came in on a throwing error to make it 5-3.
The Saints took their first lead of the game in the sixth inning when Johnny Radomskiy crushed a three-run home run over the center-field fence, putting the Saints ahead 6-5. Kyle Angielski delivered a two-out RBI single later in the inning, pushing the lead to 7-5.
Valley City State answered back in a big way with eight runs in the bottom of the inning. Grant Wehseler was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, and then Brady Smith doubled down the left-field line to score two more runs and put VCSU back ahead 8-7. The Vikings would tack on five more runs in the inning, including a two-out RBI double by Nate Soulis and Christian Peery’s second home run – a two-run shot. When the dust cleared, Valley City State held a 13-7 lead.
Aaron Schuster took the mound for VCSU to start the seventh inning and was lights out the rest of the way. The senior gave up just one hit and no runs as he earned a three-inning save. Jacob Miller started on the mound for VCSU and went three scoreless innings. The junior right-hander gave up only one hit, walked three and struck out four. The Vikings used five different pitchers in the game. Brady Engebretson earned his third win in eight days after he closed out the top of the sixth and was the beneficiary of VCSU’s eight-run outburst in the bottom of the inning.
Peery had a big game at the plate, finishing 3-for-5 with his two home runs and three RBIs. Austin Smith and Grant Wehseler each had a pair of hits, while Brady Smith, Aiden Brook and Jorun Hamre all drove in two runs.
Up next: Valley City State travels to Mayville State for a mid-week conference doubleheader on Wednesday. First pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m. in Mayville.