VALLEY CITY, ND  (VCSUVikings.com)  VALLEY CITY – The Valley City State softball team split its conference doubleheader Saturday against Dickinson State. After falling 5-1 in the first game, the Vikings hit 3 home runs while Maddy Zander tossed a 3-hit complete game shutout for a 6-0 win in game two.

Dickinson drew a pair of walks to score two unearned runs in the first inning. The Blue Hawks added three runs in the fourth inning with the help of a Cassy Loa RBI double. She later was deemed safe at home on a double steal by the Blue Hawk offense to build a 5-0 lead, en route to the win in the first game.

VCSU scored its only run in the sixth inning with an RBI single by Saige Forseth to score pinch runner Madison Spacher.

Forseth, Ashlyn Diemert, Kennadi Stone, Maddy Zander, Alyssa DePoorter each singled in the game and Logan Gronberg added a double for the Vikings.

Zander did not allow a Blue Hawk hit until the fifth inning when Cassidy Venner singled to center field. Zander finished with the complete game shutout, allowing just three hits in the game while walking three and striking out eight.

Logan Gronberg kicked off scoring with a 2-out, 2-run home run to put the Vikings on the board in the first inning. The Vikings added a pair of solo homers by Kennadi Stone and Maddy Zander in the third and fourth innings, and rounded out scoring in the fifth inning with RBIs by Kennadi and Makenzee Stone.

Kennadi Stone finished with a home run and a double, scored one run and drove in two. Logan Gronberg went 2-for-2 at the plate with a home run and two RBI. Saige Forseth added two hits and Zander homered for VCSU.

VCSU moves to 21-18 on the season and 13-4 in the conference. Dickinson is now 19-21 overall and 14-8 in the North Star.

VCSU hosts its home finale on Sunday against Dickinson at 12/2 p.m. at the VCSU Softball Complex.