From VCSU Athletics

SIOUX CITY, IA (VCSUAthletics.com) -The Valley City State baseball team dropped its spring opener on Thursday, falling 12-2 at Briar Cliff University.

It was the first game of the spring season for the Vikings and their first chance to play baseball outside of a gym since wrapping up their fall season back in October.

Briar Cliff built an 8-0 lead after four innings before the Vikings cut it to 8-2 in the sixth inning on a two-run double by Dustin Mertz. Briar Cliff put up four runs in the seventh inning for the final score of 12-2.

Valley City State drops to 6-3 overall. Briar Cliff improves to 4-5. The two teams will play a doubleheader Friday starting at 12 p.m. in Sioux City, Iowa.

Valley City State had five hits and committed seven errors during the loss. Briar Cliff finished with 11 hits.

Reed Butz started on the mound for VCSU and pitched 2 2/3 innings, allowing five hits and six runs. He walked two and struck out five. Marcus Niemann pitched 3 1/3 solid innings in relief, giving up three hits and two runs. He walked one and struck out four.

Mertz doubled and drove in two runs for VCSU. JT Reed and Avery Bennefeld each had a single and scored a run, and David Demeter and Zach Veneman each had a hit.

Up next: The Vikings face Briar Cliff in a doubleheader Friday at 12 p.m.