VALLEY CITY, N.D. – Emily Smith, the North Star Softball Pitcher-of-the-Year, shut down No. 4 seed Dickinson State (N.D.), propelling the top-seed and nationally-ranked No. 7 Valley City State (N.D.) to the championship series with an 8-0 six-inning mercy rule victory Friday evening at VCSU Softball Complex.
The victory set up the showdown of the North Star Athletic Association conference’s top two teams in the championship’s best-of-three series, which starts on Saturday at 12 noon versus No. 2 seed Bellevue (Neb). The Vikings and the Bruins are both currently over 10-game winning streak, with VCSU winning 16 consecutive games and BU on a 14-game winning streak.
Smith (W, 30-1) limited the Blue Hawks – who won the conference’s postseason tournament last season – to just three singles and issued two walks in the game. She struck out six batters. She recorded her 30th pitching victory for the Vikings.
Autumn Perry hit a double in the bottom second inning and scored home after an RBI single by Kadie Anderson for VCSU 1-0 lead.
VCSU’s offense ignited with three doubles in the bottom fourth inning, producing four runs to extend their lead to 5-0. Marissa Hawkins, Tatum Lundin and Jayme Menard each had a double in the inning.
Anderson added another RBI single in the bottom fifth inning to extend the Vikings’ lead to 6-0. The game ended in the bottom sixth inning as Riley Perryman hit a 2-RBI double for an eight-run mercy rule after five innings.
The Vikings, who raised their overall record to 49-3, pounded out 13 hits in the game. Anderson sparked the offense with three singles and drove in a game-high three runs. Joelle Aiello, Hawkins, Perry and Menard each collected two hits.
Claire Shoffit, Kayla Stephens and Jordan Menke each had a single for Dickinson State, ending their season at 27-24 overall record.
Jaya Allen (L, 12-16) took the defeat in the pitching circle, giving up five runs on seven hits in 3 1/3 innings of work. Abi Brooks worked for the final 2 1/3 innings and allowed three runs on six hits.