VALLEY CITY, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) – Due to bad weather expected in the area on Sunday, the Vikings, V-Hawks weekend doubleheader got started on Friday in Valley City. The two teams will also play a doubleheader on Saturday in Valley City. Vikings and Viterbo split the first 2 games on Friday at Charlie Brown field as Viterbo picks up the 6-3 win in 11-innings in the first game, and the Vikings won the second game 8-1 in 7 innings.
Game 1 – Viterbo 6 VCSU 3 (11-Innings)
The first game started off great for VCSU. The Vikings scored first in the bottom of the first inning thanks to and RBI double from Avery Bennefeld. Top of the third inning, it was a tough break for the Vikings after a couple of tough bounces went the V-hawks way, Cole Benson and Marcus Hornacek both providing RBI singles to put the visitors ahead 2-1. Trailing in the bottom of the 8th inning with 2 outs, Jayden Shipman legged out an infield hit to keep the inning alive. The next batter was Davie Demeter who belted a 2-run homer over the left field fence to put VCSU up 3-2. However the good times would not last as the lead off batter for Viterbo in the top of the 9th inning was Keaton Westhoff, who blasted a solo shot of his own to tie the game up at 3 and force extra innings. In the bottom of the 10th inning, VCSU had a golden opportunity with a runner at 3rd with nobody out, however they could not bring the winning run across the plate. So in the top of the 11th inning the V-hawks get three RBI doubles to push 3 runs across and take a 6-3 lead. A lead that they would hold onto and win game 1 by that score. On the mound, for the V-Hawks starter Kyle Gilbertson pitched 8 innings, giving up 5 hits, 3 runs and striking out 6. For VCSU they saw Chase Feller pitch 6 and a third great innings, allowing 2-runs while striking out 11.
Game 2 – VCSU 8 Viterbo 1 (7-Innings)
It was Viterbo who scored first in game 2 of the afternoon. Blake Warner with the RBI single in the top of the 3rd inning to give the visitors the 1-0 lead. That lead would not last long as VCSU quickly answered in the home half of the 3rd inning thanks to an RBI single of their own from Drew Nixon to tie the game up at 1-1. The game all changed for the better for VCSU in the bottom of the 4th inning. With 2 outs and nobody on base, Vikings second baseman Ryan Reynolds struck out swinging but the ball went through the legs of the V-hawks catcher to the backstop allowing Reynolds to reach on the dropped third strike. The very next batter was Jaden Babiuk and he made the most of the second chance in the inning as he smacked and RBI triple into the left field gap to put VCSU in the lead 2-1. The very next batter was Zach Veneman and he smoked a 2-run blast over the left field fence to put the Vikings ahead 4-1. VCSU would put another 3-spot up on the board in the 5th inning as well thanks to 3 errors from the left side of the Viterbo infield. The Vikings would also add another run in the 6th inning for good measure to lead 8-1. The Vikings would go on to win by that score in large part to starting pitcher Brooks Brown. Brown went the full 7-innings, allowing 1 run on 5 hits while striking out 9 to get the complete game win.
With the splits, the Vikings record now stands at 13-15 overall, and 4-6 in conference play. Next up is another doubleheader on Saturday in Valley City taking on Viterbo once again.