From VCSU Athletics

MADISON, S.D. – The Valley City State University baseball team split another doubleheader at Dakota State on Friday, securing a 2-2 split in the four-game series against the conference’s No. 2 team.

Dakota State had 10 extra-base hits in game one, securing a 13-2 victory. The Vikings bounced back in game two, putting up six runs in the second inning and slugging 18 total hits to win 14-5.

Valley City State is now 19-19 overall and 10-10 in conference play. Dakota State moves to 27-13 overall and 14-6 in the North Star Athletic Association.

Up next: The Vikings are scheduled to play a non-conference game at North Dakota State on Tuesday, April 26. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. in Fargo. Valley City State is back home April 29-30 for a four-game series with Mayville State.
Dakota State 13, VCSU 2 (7 innings)
Dakota State scored in six of the seven innings in game one, slugging their way to a 13-2 victory.

Ryan Reynolds hit a solo home run for VCSU, and Dustin Mertz, Sal Avila and Judson Seliskar each had one hit.

Dakota State hit two home runs and eight doubles en route to 16 total hits. Dakota State’s JD Kirchner pitched a complete game, allowing four hits and two runs. He did not walk a batter and struck out five.

Chase Feller started on the mound for VCSU and pitched the first 4 1/3 innings, giving up 12 hits and eight earned runs. Jace Hanson pitched two innings of relief.

VCSU 14, Dakota State 5
The Vikings scored six runs in the top of the second inning, taking the lead for good en route to a 14-5 victory in game two.

Avery Bennefeld, David Demeter, Drew Nixon and Jaden Babiuk all had three hits each as the Vikings finished with 18 hits in the game. Demeter slugged two home runs – his 12th and 13th of the season – and drove in seven runs. Nixon added a home run and a double.

Brooks Brown earned the win on the mound, pitching five innings. The right-hander scattered seven hits and four earned runs. Zach Veneman pitched two scoreless innings in relief, giving up just two hits and striking out three.

Avery Bennefeld started the scoring in the second inning with a two-run single to give the Vikings a 2-1 lead. David Demeter followed with a two-run double and then Drew Nixon capped the big inning with a two-run home run for a 6-1 advantage.

Demeter added two more RBIs in the fourth inning, hitting a two-run home run to make it an 8-3 lead. In the sixth inning, Jaden Babiuk hit a two-run double for a 10-3 advantage. The Vikings added four more runs in the seventh inning, including an RBI single by Bennefeld and a three-run home run by Demeter – his 13th of the season. Demeter’s 13 home runs this season has him within striking distance of VCSU’s single-season record of 18 set by Jorun Hamre last season.

Bennefeld, Demeter, Nixon and Babiuk all had three hits and combined to drive in 14 runs. Dustin Mertz, Sal Avila and Judson Seliskar each had two hits each.