From VCSU Athletics

VALLEY CITY, N.D. (VCSUAthletics.com) – Valley City State junior pitcher Joelle Lamontagne has been named NSAA Softball Pitcher of the Week, the conference office announced Monday. Mackenzie Hughes of Mayville State was selected as the Player of the Week.

Mackenzie Hughes of Mayville State (N.D.) was named as the Player-of-the-Week.

North Star Athletic Association Softball Pitcher-of-the-Week
Joelle Lamontagne – Valley City State (N.D.) – Junior – pitcher – Oxbow, Sask., Canada – Lamontagne went 4-0 on the week, highlighted by a 1-hit complete game shutout at Waldorf (Iowa) on April 24 as Valley City State (N.D.) went 5-2 on the week.  She tossed a complete game shutout against Mayville State (N.D.) on April 21.  For the week, Lamontagne pitched 26 innings with 19 strikeouts, a 1.08 earned run average (ERA) and did not walk a single batter.

North Star Athletic Association Softball Player-of-the-Week
Mackenzie Hughes – Mayville State (N.D.) – Freshman – outfielder – Thompson, N.D. – Hughes was 16-of-28 at the plate (.571 batting average) as Mayville State (N.D.) went 5-3 record for the week, including the North Star’s 4-game series sweep at Viterbo (Wis.).  She also drove in nine runs, tallied three doubles, two triples, and hit two home runs.  She accumulated 29 total bases and seven extra-base hits.  Hughes hit two triples, a home run, and earned five RBIs in MSU’s 11-3 NSAA series opener at Viterbo.  For the week, Hughes registered a slugging percentage of 1.036 and an on-base percentage of .586.  She collected 11 put-outs and an assist, defensively.

Recap from last week’s games
Bellevue (Neb.), receiving votes in the latest NAIA Softball Coaches’ Top 25 national poll, extended their winning streak to 12 games after going 8-0 record in a pair of NSAA four-game series.  The Bruins held off the Trojans in Omaha, Neb., on April 20 by the scores of 8-1 and 5-4 in eight innings, followed by 7-3 and 8-6 victories on April 21 in Madison, S.D.  BU returned home for their four-game series sweep of Presentation (S.D.) on April 23-24.  Bellevue raised their overall record to 36-11 and 22-2 NSAA conference record.

Dakota State fell to Morningside (Iowa) 1-0 and 12-3 in six innings on April 18.  The Trojans split a doubleheader with Dickinson State (N.D.) on April 23, with DaSU winning the first game 8-6 and DiSU winning the second game 5-4.  Dakota State closed out the series with an 9-8 come-from-behind fashion over Dickinson State on April 24.  The Trojans are 18-24 overall record and 13-10 record in the league.

Dickinson State swept the three-game series with Presentation (S.D.) in Aberdeen, winning by the scores of 6-0 and 6-3 on April 21.  DiSU held on to a 7-4 victory on April 22.  Dickinson State is 17-23 overall record and 9-9 record in the North Star contests.  Presentation holds an overall record of 11-23 and 5-14 NSAA conference record.

Valley City State (N.D.) and Mayville State (N.D.) returned to action on April 20.  Both teams split their doubleheader with the Vikings winning the first game 7-2 before the Comets won the second game 7-4.  VCSU swept MSU on April 21 by the scores of 8-0 in five innings and 10-4.

The Vikings outscored Waldorf (Iowa) 38-5 in the first two games of the tripleheader on April 24.  The Warriors held on to defeat VCSU 7-6 in the final game of the tripleheader.  Valley City State is 27-15 overall record and 14-5 record in the North Star.

Waldorf went 3-1 record during their NSAA four-game series with Viterbo (Wis.).  The Warriors swept the V-Hawks in La Crosse, Wis. on April 20.  Both teams split their doubleheader on April 21 in Forest City, Iowa, with VU winning the first game 11-3 and WU rallying back for a 5-4 victory in the finale.  Waldorf is 9-24 overall record and 9-12 NSAA conference record.  Viterbo is 5-35 overall record and 2-22 record in the league.

Looking Ahead
Mayville State (N.D.) travels to Dickinson State (N.D.) on Wednesday to play a tripleheader in NSAA make-up contests.  Viterbo (Wis.) heads to Iowa Wesleyan on the same day for a non-conference doubleheader.

Valley City State (N.D.) stays on the road on Thursday for the NSAA make-up doubleheader with host-team Presentation (S.D.).  Waldorf (Iowa) visits Iowa Wesleyan on the same day.

The final NSAA four-game series of the season is scheduled for Thursday through Sunday.  Bellevue (Neb.) heads to Mayville State (N.D.) on Thursday-Friday, looking to clinch the league regular-season title.  Also, on schedule on Saturday-Sunday included Waldorf at Dickinson State, Dakota State (S.D.) at Valley City State, and Viterbo at Presentation.  Stay tuned to your school athletics’ website for schedule updates this weekend, pending weather conditions.

Wednesday’s Games
Mayville State (N.D.) vs. @ Dickinson State (N.D.) – Tripleheader –10 a.m. (Central Time)/9 a.m. (Mountain Time)
Viterbo (Wis.) @ Iowa Wesleyan – Doubleheader – 3 p.m.

Thursday’s Games
Valley City State (N.D.) @ Presentation (S.D.) – Doubleheader – 12 p.m.
(RV) Bellevue (Neb.) @ Mayville State (N.D.) – Doubleheader – 12 p.m.
Waldorf (Iowa) @ Iowa Wesleyan – Doubleheader – 1 p.m.

Friday’s Games
(RV) Bellevue (Neb.) @ Mayville State (N.D.) – Doubleheader – 12 p.m.

Saturday’s Games
Viterbo (Wis.) @ Presentation (S.D.) – Doubleheader – 1 p.m.
Dakota State (S.D.) @ Valley City State (N.D.) – Doubleheader – 1 p.m.
Waldorf (Iowa) @ Dickinson State (N.D.) – Doubleheader – 3 p.m. (Central Time)/2 p.m. (Mountain Time)

            Sunday’s Games
Viterbo (Wis.) @ Presentation (S.D.) – Doubleheader – 12 p.m.
Dakota State (S.D.) @ Valley City State (N.D.) – Doubleheader – 12 p.m.
Waldorf (Iowa) @ Dickinson State (N.D.) – Doubleheader – 2 p.m. (Central Time)/1 p.m. (Mountain Time)

2022 NSAA Softball Conference Standings