FOREST CITY, IOWA (vcsuvikings.com) – The Valley City State baseball team put up 20 runs during its first game Thursday afternoon at Waldorf, but it wasn’t enough as they dropped a wild game against the Warriors.
VCSU and Waldorf combined for 45 runs, 44 hits and 19 extra-base hits during a 25-20 win by the Warriors. The teams scored in 13 out of their 18 at bats and totaled 36 runs over the final four innings.
Waldorf also picked up a win in game two, defeating VCSU 17-4.
Valley City State is now 10-24 overall and 6-12 in conference play. Waldorf improves to 15-29 overall and 10-8 in the NSAA.
Up next: The Vikings and Warriors play another doubleheader Friday at 12 p.m. in Forest City, Iowa.
Waldorf 25, VCSU 20
Valley City State hit seven home runs by six different players in game one. Seven different Vikings had a least two hits in the game as VCSU put up 21 total hits.
Drew Nixon’s 3-run home run in the bottom of the sixth inning – his second of the game – capped a five-run inning and gave the Vikings an 11-5 lead. Waldorf’s offense erupted for 20 runs over the final three innings. The Warriors took a 12-11 lead with seven runs in the seventh inning. Valley City State regained the lead at 13-12 as Dustin Mertz homered and Tory Nelson drove in a run with a sacrifice fly.
Waldorf would put up eight runs in the eighth inning and five more in the ninth to take a 25-13 lead into VCSU’s final at bat. The Vikings made things interesting, scoring seven more runs in the bottom of the ninth – and putting two more runners on – before Waldorf recorded the final out.
Jaden Babiuk had a four-hit game for VCSU, going 4-for-5 with two runs and two RBIs. Drew Nixon homered twice and was 3-for-6 with two runs and five RBIs. Judson Seliskar was also 3-for-6 with a run and two RBIs, and freshman Ethan Muchow was 3-for-4 with two runs and two RBIs. Zach Veneman, Tory Nelson and Adam Thompson had two hits each.
Veneman, Muchow, Seliskar, Thompson, Dustin Mertz and Drew Nixon (2) all homered for VCSU.
Harrison Metz started on the mound and went four solid innings, allowing four hits and three runs. He struck out three and walked three. Riley Resnick, Carter Dodd, Connor Nelson, Devon Cook and Peyton Jantzi all pitched in relief.
Waldorf 17, VCSU 4
Waldorf continued its offensive onslaught in game two, putting up 17 more runs en route to a doubleheader sweep.
The teams combined for eight home runs in the game, including two grand slams and two 3-run home runs by the Warriors. VCSU had three home runs that were all solo shots, including two by Kaden Rozdeba and one by Shane Nixon.
Rozdeba’s two hits led the offense, while Nixon, Zach Veneman and Adam Thompson had one hit each.
Brooks Brown started on the mound and took the loss for VCSU, pitching 3 2/3 innings. Adam Thompson, Jay Greuel and Christian Ramirez all pitched in relief.