From VCSU Athletics
VALLEY CITY, N.D. (VCSUAthletics.com) – The Valley City State softball team split a pair of games Wednesday at the Tucson Invitational Games including a 4-1 loss to William Penn and a 9-5 victory over Roosevelt University.
VCSU senior Joelle Aiello smashed a pair of home runs – including a grand slam – and drove in six runs Wednesday while Jessica Husband added three doubles on the day.
The Vikings move to 8-6 on the season. William Penn improves to 6-6 on the season and Roosevelt University drops to 3-5 overall.
The Vikings continue play in Tucson on Thursday afternoon. VCSU will face Baldwin-Wallace at 3:30 p.m. and No. 19 Olivet Nazarene at 5:45 p.m. CST. Live video and scoring updates will be available.
William Penn 4, VCSU 1
William Penn got on the board first with a run in the third inning, and then added three more in the fourth inning to build a 4-0 lead. Riley Perryman drove in Andrea Rodriguez to put the Vikings on the board in the fifth inning, but that’s all the Vikings would post in a 4-1 loss in VCSU’s first game of the day.
Jessica Husband led the Vikings at the plate with two doubles Wednesday. Perryman, Marissa Hawkins and Mikayla Johnson each added a hit for the Viking offense. Joelle Lamontagne got the loss in the circle after 6 innings of work for VCSU. Lamotagne allowed four runs on ten hits, struck out one and walked zero.
Chelsey Huff got the win in the circle for William Penn. The pitcher allowed one run on four hits over 5 innings, walked two and struck out 10. Bianca Castillo tossed 2 innings in relief and allowed just one hit and struck out five batters. The Statesmen totaled 10 hits Wednesday, led by Lexi Resa who went 3-for-3 at the plate. Nayley Martinez, Carla La Rosa, Valeria Quiroga and Allyson Stewart each drove in a run for William Penn.
VCSU 9, Roosevelt 5
Viking senior Joelle Aiello powered the VCSU offense with a pair of home runs that drove in six of VCSU’s nine runs in a 9-4 victory over Roosevelt University in the second game of the day.
VCSU’s Jessica Husband started the second inning with a line drive double to right field. After a fly-out from Rodriguez, Mikayla Johnson singled to center field and advanced Husband to third. Saige Forseth then drew a walk to load the bases. Riley Perryman struck out which brought up Aiello who smashed a two-out grand slam over the centerfield fence.
Roosevelt answered with three runs in the bottom of the second to close the gap to just a run. A solo home run from Sierra Crocker in the third inning gave the Vikings a 5-3 lead. Husband and Marissa Hawkins each drove in a run in the fourth, and a two-run homer from Aiello rounded out scoring for VCSU.
Brooke Gaudry pitched a complete game to pick up the win in the circle. Gaudry allowed 11 hits and five runs over 7 innings while striking out three.
VCSU racked up nine hits in the game. Crocker, Husband, and Aiello each tallied two hits to lead the Vikings while Anne-Elise Gest added a double Wednesday. Aiello totaled six RBIs while Crocker, Husband and Hawkins each added one.
Roosevelt totaled 11 hits Wednesday led by Kirstin Fudge and Anaisa Lozada with two hits apiece.