From VCSU Athletics
VALLEY CITY, N.D. (VCSUAthletics.com) – The Valley City State softball team closed out the Tucson Invitational with a 2-1 victory over Benedictine University at Mesa, with both runs driven in by Jessica Husband.
The Vikings fell to Hastings College earlier Wednesday with a 9-4 final score.
VCSU now holds a 13-10 overall record this season after going 6-5 during its Tucson campaign. Hastings College improves to 10-11 this season and Benedictine-Mesa falls to 1-21 overall.
UP NEXT: Valley City State is scheduled to host its conference opener against Dickinson State on March 26.
Hastings 9, VCSU 4
Hastings College scored seven runs in the sixth inning to pull away from the Vikings Wednesday en route to a 9-4 victory.
The Broncos posted two runs in the third inning to open scoring in the game. In the bottom of the third, Sierra Crocker‘s double drove in Ashlynne Copinga to trail 2-1. After two scoreless innings, Hastings broke the game open with their sixth inning rally to lead 9-1.
In the bottom of the sixth, Crocker added a solo home run, and RBIs from Michelle Krahn and Joelle Aiello in the seventh inning were all the Vikings could muster late in the game.
Brooke Gaudry got the loss in the circle for VCSU after tossing seven innings, allowing nine runs on nine hits while striking out four and walking nine.
The Vikings totaled seven hits on the day led by Gaudry and Crocker who each went 2-for-3 at the plate. Gaudry drove in one run while Crocker drove in two. Krahn, Mikayla Johnson and Saige Forseth each added a hit for VCSU.
Mattie Hogrefe tossed a complete game for the Broncos, allowing four runs on seven hits, striking out five and walking one. Elana Gerhard led Hastings at the plate with three hits and three RBIs.
VCSU 2, Benedictine-Mesa 1
Jessica Husband‘s sac fly scored the tie-breaking run in the fifth inning as the Vikings defeated Benedictine University at Mesa 2-1 on Wednesday.
Husband also drove in VCSU’s first run of the game in the first inning and held on to the 1-0 advantage until the bottom of the fourth when the Redhawks’ Amanda Clack collected an RBI single.
Joelle Lamontagne pitched all seven innings, allowing one run on eight hits, striking out one and walking one. VCSU totaled nine hits in the game. Husband, Joelle Aiello and Sierra Crocker each totaled two hits Wednesday. Husband tallied two RBIs and Aiello scored both runs for VCSU.
Andrea Hoey got the loss for the Redhawks, allowing two runs on nine hits, striking out five and walking three. Benedictine-Mesa collected eight hits, led by Amanda Clack who went 3-for-3 at the plate and drove in their only run.