DICKINSON, N.D. – The Valley City State University baseball team continued its power surge Saturday, scoring 14 runs in game one as they split a doubleheader at Dickinson State University.
After hitting 10 home runs Friday during a pair of wins at Dickinson, the Vikings followed it up with five more home runs during Saturday’s split. Adam Thompson hit a pair of home runs in game one and drove in six runs during VCSU’s 14-3 victory.
The Viking bats quieted a bit in the final game of the series as they dropped a 5-4 contest to Dickinson.
VCSU is now 12-17 overall and 5-3 in conference play after winning three of the four games at Dickinson. The Blue Hawks are now 4-16 overall and and 2-6 in conference play.
The Viking offense batted .390 and slugged .809 during the four-game series. VCSU scored 54 runs and finished with 15 home runs and 14 doubles. The Vikings also drew 19 walks and had a .485 on-base percentage at Dickinson.
Through the first eight games of conference play, Valley City State has hit 26 home runs. In the previous 21 games, VCSU had hit just 15 home runs.
Up next: Valley City State hosts Mayville State for a mid-week conference doubleheader on Tuesday. First pitch is set for 2 p.m. Tuesday at VCSU’s Charlie Brown Field.
VCSU 14, Dickinson State 3
Adam Thompson homered twice and doubled as he led the Viking offense with six RBIs in the 14-3 victory Saturday.
David Demeter sparked the offense with a two-run home run in the top of the first inning. Thompson followed with two-run home runs in the second inning and the fourth inning, and then delivered a two-run double in the fifth inning to put VCSU up 10-2.
The Vikings finished with 14 runs on 11 hits. Dickinson State scored its three runs on seven hits.
Phillip Almanza gave the Vikings six good innings on the mound as he earned the win. Almanza scattered six hits and gave up two runs. He walked four and struck out four. Chase Feller pitched an inning of relief, allowing a solo home run but striking out the side. The Vikings ended the game mercy rule after seven innings.
Thompson finished the game 3-for-4 with two runs and six RBIs. Demeter was 2-for-4 with a run and two RBIs, and Drew Nixon was 2-for-4 with a double, a run and an RBI.
Dickinson State 5, VCSU 4
The Vikings scored three runs in the top of the first but could not hold the lead as they dropped the series finale, 5-4.
Jorun Hamre and Dustin Mertz hit back-to-back home runs in the first inning, putting the Vikings ahead 3-0.
Dickinson State chipped away and eventually took a 5-4 lead in the bottom of the fifth inning. VCSU was unable to mount a comeback.
Both teams finished with seven hits in the game. Hamre went 2-for-3 with a run and two RBIs. Mertz was 2-for-3 with two runs and an RBI. Gedeon Ellis was 2-for-4, and Chase Feller had VCSU’s final hit.
Marcus Niemann took the loss after working four innings on the mound. Niemann allowed seven hits and five runs. He walked only one and struck out five. Matthew Suda pitched two scoreless innings in relief, striking out five of the six batters he faced.