MADISON, S.D. – The Valley City State softball team picked up a pair of wins in a sweep of Sunday’s doubleheader over Dakota State, 10-0 and 9-1.
Joelle Aiello opened the day with a leadoff single in the first game to record her 200th career hit. She is one of just three players in VCSU history to reach the milestone.
The Vikings improve to 10-3 overall and 3-0 in the NSAA. Dakota State drops to 6-13 overall and 0-3 in conference play. The Vikings and Trojans finish the four-game series with a game on Monday at 1 p.m.
VCSU 10, DSU 0
Amber Stewart and Emily Smith combined for a 10-0 shutout effort of Dakota State in the first game of the day.
Stewart got the win in the circle, working 4.1 innings, allowing just three hits, striking out nine and walking one. Smith worked 2.2 innings in relief, striking out two and walking one.
The Vikings had a balanced scoring effort, putting up a pair of runs in the first and second innings, one run in the fourth, two in the fifth, and finished the game with three runs in the seventh.
Marissa Hawkins drove in three runs and Sierra Crocker drove in two, while four other Vikings each drove in one run. Joelle Aiello, Sierra Crocker, Makenzee Stone, and Jessica Husband led the Vikings with two hits each in the game. Aiello also posted a game-high three runs scored.
Xitlali Lopez got the loss in a complete game for the Trojans, allowing seven earned runs on 13 hits, walking six, and striking out four. Lopez, Melissa Krapf, and Mackenzie Sims each recorded a hit for Dakota State.
VCSU 9, DSU 1 (5 innings)
Emily Smith pitched a complete game as the Viking offense scored nine runs to finish the second game in just five innings Sunday. Smith allowed two hits, walked one, and struck out seven to earn the win in the circle.
Makenzee Stone‘s single in the first inning scored Hawkins and Crocker to take an early 2-0 lead. Valley City State then scored three runs on a Trojan dropped fly ball in the third inning to expand its lead to 5-0.
Dakota State put their only run on the board on a Viking wild throw in the fourth inning.
Marissa Hawkins opened the fifth inning with a double followed by a base-hit from Stone. Riley Perryman continued the rally with an RBI single to right field followed by a sac-fly from Brianna Blue to score Stone. Jessica Husband smashed an RBI triple to deep right field and then scored on a wild pitch to round out the inning as the Vikings held a 9-1 lead.
Dakota State’s Lia Chan opened the bottom of the fifth with a single and advanced on a stolen base to get into scoring position for the Trojans, but the Vikings finished with three straight outs to finish the game, courtesy of the mercy rule.
Hawkins and Stone each went 2-for-2, while Hawkins scored three runs and Stone scored two. Stone also added two RBIs. Husband finished going 2-for-3 with one run scored and one RBI.
Xotchil Lopez got the loss for Dakota State, working 4.2 innings and allowing five earned runs. She also walked eight batters and struck out one. Lopez and Chan each recorded a hit for the Trojans.
UP NEXT: Valley City State will complete the four-game series at Dakota State with a game on Monday at 1 p.m.