From VCSU Athletics
FOREST CITY, IOWA – The Valley City State softball team picked up a pair of wins as a part of a tripleheader at Waldorf on Sunday with two of their season-best performances.
VCSU’s bats were hot Sunday as they collected a season-high 23 hits en route to a 17-0 victory in game one. The Vikings then totaled a season-best 21 runs in a 21-5 win in game two but couldn’t hold on as they fell 7-6 in the series finale.
The fourth game of the series has been canceled due to forecasted weather on Monday. VCSU improves to 27-15 on the season and 14-5 in conference play. Waldorf moves to 9-24 overall and 9-11 in the NSAA.
UP NEXT: Valley City State is scheduled to play a conference doubleheader at Presentation College on Thursday.
VCSU 17, Waldorf 0 (5 innings)
Starting pitcher Joelle Lamontagne (17-6) pitched a one-hit complete game shutout in the series opener. She gave up a double in the second inning and VCSU’s offense took care of the rest. Lamontagne did not walk a single batter and struck out four in the game.
The Vikings powered 23 hits including five for extra bases, and all nine starters had multiple hits in the game. Sierra Crocker was 3-for-3 with a double, two runs and three RBIs while Ashlyn Diemert went 3-for-4, scored three runs and drove in two. Riley Perryman added three hits, one run and four RBIs, and Alyssa DePoorter had a 3-run homer for the Vikings.
Waldorf’s Bre Bouse got the loss in the circle after allowing 12 runs on 16 hits and striking out one. Kassidy Elyea had Waldorf’s only hit in the game.
VCSU 21, Waldorf 5 (5 innings)
Valley City State then put up a season-high 21 runs and seven Vikings had multiple hits in game two. The Vikings trailed 3-1 after the first inning but erupted for seven runs in the second and third innings and added six more in the fourth.
Sierra Crocker and Riley Perryman each drove in four runs to lead VCSU’s offense. They each had a two-run double, and Crocker added a solo home run in the game. Saige Forseth went 3-for-3 at the plate and Forseth, Jessica Husband and Anne-Elise Gest each scored three runs Sunday.
Brooke Gaudry got the win in the circle after pitching all 5 innings. She allowed five runs on six hits while walking three and striking out two.
Alex Mathers got the loss in the circle after allowing 15 runs on 13 hits. She walked three and struck out two in 2 2/3 innings of work. Paige Pierson tossed 2 1/3 innings in relief and allowed six runs on six hits.
Kaela Eslinger went 2-for-3 with a double and Brooke Hickey added a two-run triple for the Warriors.
Waldorf 7, VCSU 6
Waldorf scored five runs in the second inning to build a strong lead early on. VCSU scored two runs on a pair of Warrior errors in the third inning and added one more on an RBI single from Riley Perryman. Ashlyn Diemert‘s RBI single in the fifth tied the game at 5-5.
Waldorf’s Kaela Eslinger and Kassidy Elyea then each homered to lead 7-5 after six innings. VCSU loaded the bases with no outs in the top of the seventh inning but was only able to score one run on a sac fly from Joelle Aiello and left the other two stranded to end the game.
Andrea Rodriguez, Marissa Hawkins and Ashlyn Diemert each had two hits for the Vikings. Aiello hit her 13th home run of the season and added two RBIs while Diemert and Riley Perryman added one RBI each.
Marissa Hawkins got the loss in the circle, allowing five runs on seven hits in 2 innings of work. Joelle Lamontagne pitched 4 innings in relief and allowed two runs on four hits and struck out two.
McKenna Mentink got the win for Waldorf after pitching a complete game. She allowed 6 runs on 12 hits, walked one and struck out five. Mentink, Brooke Hickey and Paige Pierson had two hits each and Hickey drove in two runs for the Warriors.