FOREST CITY, IA (VCSUVikings.com) Valley City State and Waldorf split another doubleheader Saturday afternoon as the Vikings and Warriors both picked up a pair of wins during their four-game conference series in Forest City, Iowa.
Waldorf scored two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to win game one on Saturday, 4-3. The Vikings bounced back with a 7-5 win in game two, led by a 4-RBI game from Jaden Babiuk.
VCSU is now 13-22 overall and 5-7 in conference play after the series split. Waldorf moves to 14-18 overall and 4-8 in the conference.
Up next: Valley City State is scheduled to play a home series against Dakota State on April 12-13.
Waldorf 4, VCSU 3
Valley City State held a 3-2 lead going into the bottom of the seventh but could not hold it as Waldorf earned a walk-off win.
The Warriors manufactured two runs in the seventh inning with three walks, one VCSU error and only one hit. Ryan Webster drew a bases-loaded walk to score the game-winning run.
Christopher Dietrich started on the mound for VCSU and went 4.2 strong innings. Dietrich struck out 12 batters and gave up just one hit. He walked four and allowed two runs to score – only one of which was earned. Riley Resnick took the loss, pitching the final 1.1 innings and giving up a hit and two runs – only one earned.
Each team managed just two hits in the game, but they combined for 19 walks. VCSU pitchers walked seven hitters while Waldorf pitchers walked 12 batters.
Trailing 2-0, the Vikings were being no-hit heading into the sixth inning. Daegen Morcom broke up the no-hitter with a single in the sixth inning, which sparked a three-run rally for the Vikings. Cody Wielgosh’s RBI single cut the deficit to 2-1, and then both Dustin Mertz and Jaden Babiuk drew bases-loaded walks to give VCSU a 3-2 lead.
VCSU 7, Waldorf 5
The Vikings fell behind 2-0 after the first inning of game two but scored three runs in both the fifth and seventh innings as they rallied for a 7-5 victory to secure a series split.
Jaden Babiuk was key in both big innings, lacing a two-run single in the fifth inning and a two-run double in the seventh inning. Cody Wielgosh, Jamel Chabot and Daegen Morcom each had RBI hits as well for VCSU, which finished with nine hits in the series finale.
Kahlil Tilbury got the start at pitcher for VCSU and worked four innings, allowing three hits and two runs. He walked three and struck out four. Trailing 2-1, the Vikings took the lead with three runs in the fifth inning and then opened up a 7-2 lead with three more runs in the seventh inning.
Waldorf chipped away with two runs in the eighth inning and a single run in the ninth, but the Viking bullpen proved up to the task as Eli Chabot and Jarrett Faue combined to keep Waldorf in check over the final five innings.
Chabot pitched 3.1 innings in relief and earned the win. His first three innings were scoreless until Waldorf plated two unearned runs off Chabot in the eighth inning. Chabot gave up just two hits, did not walk a batter and struck out three.
Jarrett Faue pitched the final 1.2 innings to preserve the victory, allowing three hits and just the one run.
Babiuk went 2-for-4 at the plate with one run and four RBIs. Jamel Chabot was 2-for-4 with an RBI. Dustin Mertz, Kaden Rozdeba, Cody Wielgosh, Daegen Morcom and Anthony Madsen all collected one hit each.