From VCSU Athletics

VALLEY CITY, N.D. (VCSUAthletics.com) – Valley City State swept the North Star Athletic Association Softball Players of the Week honors, the conference office announced Monday. Joelle Lamontagne was named Pitcher of the Week while Jessica Husband was selected as the Player of the Week. It is the second time this season that the duo has swept the weekly awards.

North Star Athletic Association Softball Pitcher of the Week
Joelle Lamontagne – Valley City State (N.D.) – Junior – pitcher – Oxbow, Sask., Canada – Lamontagne earned a 3-1 record during Valley City State’s (N.D.) action in the Tucson (Ariz.) Invitational.  Lamontagne tossed 26 1/3 innings during the week and pitched two complete games with an earned run average of 2.66.  Lamontagne also struck out a total of 13 batters during the week.

North Star Athletic Association Softball Player of the Week
Jessica Husband – Valley City State (N.D.) – Senior – outfielder – Kingwood Park, Texas – Husband had four multi-hit games and six doubles as she batted .500 (10-of-20 at-bats) for Valley City State (N.D.), which went 4-3 on the week in the Tucson (Ariz.) Invitational.  She drew three walks and struck out just once during the week.  Husband also scored five runs and drove in two runs.  She recorded a slugging percentage of .800 and an on-base percentage of .565.  Husband was also perfect in the field, recording nine putouts in nine chances.

Recap from last week’s games
Valley City State (N.D.) returned to action in the Tucson (Ariz.) Invitational, falling short to William Penn (Iowa) 4-1 and bouncing back in the winning column with a 9-5 victory over Roosevelt (Ill.) on March 9.  The Vikings also earned another split on March 10, defeating Baldwin-Wallace (Ohio) 4-1 and falling to No. 19 Olivet Nazarene (Ill.) 11-1 in five innings.  VCSU lost to Aquinas 8-1 and followed with a 7-5 victory over St. Francis (Ill.) on March 12.  The Vikings closed out the week with a 10-6 victory over St. Francis (Ill.), lifting their overall record to 11-8.

Bellevue (Neb.) went 4-3 record in The Spring Games in Kissimmee, Fla. last week.  The Bruins fell short to Dordt (Iowa) 1-0 and defeated Northwestern Ohio 1-0 on March 7.  BU lost to No. 8 Indiana Wesleyan 7-1 on March 8.  Bellevue earned a 10-1 victory in six innings against Judson (Ill.) followed by a 6-2 setback to Siena Heights (Mich.) on March 10.  The Bruins closed out the tournament with a 10-1 victory in six innings over Bethel (Ind.) and 2-0 shutout over Cornerstone (Mich.).  Bellevue is 10-8 overall record on the season.

Presentation (S.D.) dropped the final four contests in the Tucson (Ariz.) Invitational last week.  The Saints lost to William Penn (Iowa) 5-2 and nationally ranked Olivet Nazarene (Ill.) 12-4 on March 7.  PC lost to St. Francis (Ill.) 8-5 on March 8 and closed out the tournament with a 9-5 defeat to Jamestown (N.D.).  Presentation is 6-9 overall record.

Dickinson State (N.D.) went 3-7 record for the week in the Tucson tournament games.  The Blue Hawks earned a 12-7 victory over Kansas Wesleyan followed by a 14-9 setback to Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.) on March 7.  DiSU earned an 8-7 win over Olivet Nazarene and suffered an 8-5 defeat to William Penn.  Dickinson State split their two games on March 9, defeating Concordia (Neb.) 7-6 and falling to Aquinas (Mich.) 10-3.  The Blue Hawks dropped the next four contests for the week, losing to Jamestown (N.D.) 17-1 in five innings and Roosevelt (Ill.) 4-2 on March 11.  DiSU lost to Aquinas 11-1 in six innings and 5-3 to Northwestern (Iowa) on March 12.  Dickinson State is 8-12 overall record.

Mayville State went 1-4 record in the McPherson (Kan.) Invitational, opening with a 14-3 setback in five innings to Mount Marty (S.D.) and host-team McPherson by the score of 6-3 on March 12.  The Comets lost to Tabor (Kan.) 9-5, followed by a 12-9 victory over Bethel (Kan.) and closed out the tournament with a 16-8 defeat to York (Neb.) on March 13.  MSU is 2-11 overall record on the season.

Dakota State (S.D.) returned to action in the Tucson Invitational, going winless in four games.  The Trojans lost to Jamestown 11-3 in six innings and St. Francis (Ill.) 8-4 on March 11.  DaSU fell to Roosevelt 11-2 in six innings and was shut out by the Fighting Saints 9-4 on March 12.  Dakota State is 1-7 overall record.

Viterbo (Wis.) lost to Dickinson (Pa.) 9-3 on March 13.  The V-Hawks fell to 0-8 overall record on the season.

Waldorf (Iowa) was idle last week (0-12 overall record).

Looking Ahead
Dakota State (S.D.) continues it action in the Tucson (Ariz.) Invitational Monday (today) versus Northwester (Iowa).  The Trojans close out the tournament Tuesday versus Hastings (Neb.) and California Lutheran.

Dickinson State (N.D.) wraps up their stay in Arizona with a doubleheader at Ottawa (Ariz.) Monday (today).

Viterbo (Wis.) plays California Lutheran and Hastings on Tuesday in Tucson, Ariz.  The V-Hawks play a doubleheader against Hastings (Neb.) on Thursday.  VU finishes the tournament on Friday in a doubleheader versus Dickinson (Pa.).

Valley City State (N.D.) faces Dickinson (Pa.) and Hastings on Tuesday.  The Vikings conclude the tournament in Tucson on Wednesday versus Hastings and Benedictine-Mesa (Ariz.).

Bellevue (Neb.) returns home on Thursday for a single game with Midland (Neb.).  The Bruins will also play Jamestown (N.D.) on Sunday in a doubleheader.

Waldorf (Iowa) heads to Graceland (Iowa) for a doubleheader on Saturday.

Presentation (S.D.) is idle this week and return to action in the North Star conference opener on March 26-27.

            Monday’s Games
Dickinson State (N.D.) @ Ottawa (Ariz.) – Doubleheader – 11 a.m.
Tucson (Ariz.) Invitational Games – Tucson, Ariz.
Dakota State (S.D.) vs. (RV) Northwestern (Iowa) – 11 a.m.
Viterbo (Wis.) vs. (RV) Northwestern (Iowa) – 1:15 p.m.

            Tuesday’s Games
Tucson (Ariz.) Invitational Games – Tucson, Ariz.
Viterbo (Wis.) vs. California Lutheran – 11 a.m.
Dakota State (S.D.) vs. Hastings (Neb.) – 11 a.m.
Viterbo (Wis.) vs. Hastings (Neb.) – 1:15 p.m.
Dakota State (S.D.) vs. California Lutheran – 1:15 p.m.
Valley City State (N.D.) vs. Dickinson (Pa.) – 2:15 p.m.
Valley City State (N.D.) vs. Hastings (Neb.) – 4:30 p.m.

            Wednesday’s Game
Tucson (Ariz.) Invitational Games – Tucson, Ariz.
Valley City State (N.D.) vs. Hastings (Neb.) – 12 p.m.
Valley City State (N.D.) vs. Benedictine-Mesa (Ariz.) – 2:15 p.m.

Thursday’s Games
Tucson (Ariz.) Invitational Games – Tucson, Ariz.
Viterbo (Wis.) vs. Hastings (Neb.) – Doubleheader – 8 a.m.
Midland (Neb.) @ Bellevue (Neb.) – 5 p.m.

            Friday’s Games
Tucson (Ariz.) Invitational Games – Tucson, Ariz.
Viterbo (Wis.) vs. Dickinson (Pa.) – Doubleheader – 8 a.m.

Saturday’s Games
Waldorf (Iowa) @ Graceland (Iowa) – Doubleheader – 1 p.m.

Sunday’s Games
Jamestown (N.D.) @ Bellevue (Neb.) – Doubleheader – 1 p.m.
2022 NSAA Softball Conference Standings