From VCSU Athletics
VALLEY CITY, N.D. (VCSUAthletics.com) – VCSU freshman Jaden Babiuk hit a grand slam, and Chase Feller and Adam Thompson combined to pitch five scoreless innings out of the bullpen Monday night as the VCSU baseball team ended the regular season with a 9-4 win over Mayville State.
Babiuk’s grand slam erased a 4-0 deficit and sparked a seven-run fourth inning for the Vikings, who took the lead for good with the big rally. Feller and Thompson combined to pitch five shutout innings the rest of the way, securing the 9-4 victory.
With the win, Valley City State (21-20, 12-11 NSAA) secures the No. 5 seed for the NSAA Postseason Tournament starting Friday in Forest City, Iowa. The Vikings will face No. 4 seed Waldorf University in the opening round on Friday at 12 p.m. The eight-team double elimination tournament runs May 6-9.
Mayville State (16-22, 13-14) will be the No. 6 seed for the tournament. The Comets face No. 3 Dickinson State on Friday at 4 p.m.
The Comets started fast on Monday in Valley City. Run-scoring hits by Alan LaRocque, Marcus Hughes and Sammy Satrom gave the Comets a 3-0 lead after the top of the first inning. Viking starter Brooks Brown settled in though and allowed just one more run over the next three innings, keeping the Vikings within striking distance at 4-0.
In the bottom of the fourth, the Vikings struck back with seven runs on just one hit. David Demeter, Drew Nixon and Jayden Shipman were patient at the plate and opened the inning with three straight walks to load the bases. Babiuk followed with a drive over the right-field fence, tying the game at 4-4 with one swing of the bat. The inning continued with two hit batters and two bases-loaded walks, and then Drew Nixon capped the scoring with a sacrifice fly for a 7-4 lead.
An RBI single by Hunter Magnuson in the fifth inning extended the lead to 8-4, and the Vikings tacked on an insurance run in the eighth inning.
Babiuk had a strong night for VCSU, batting 3-for-5 with the grand slam and four RBIs. The Viking catcher also threw out two runners on the bases, catching a pair of Mayville runners attempting to steal second base. Magnuson also had a multi-hit night, going 2-for-3 with a run and an RBI. Sal Avila and Ryan Reynolds each added a hit as the Vikings finished with seven total hits.
Brooks Brown started on the mound for VCSU and went four innings, allowing six hits and four runs. He walked two and struck out five. Chase Feller pitched three scoreless innings for the win, scattering three hits and striking out two. Adam Thompson pitched the final two scoreless innings, giving up two hits and striking out one.
Mayville State totaled 11 hits, including three by Anthony Villanueva and two each by Carson Lundmark and LaRocque.
Matthew Johnston started on the mound for Mayville and worked into the fourth inning, allowing one hit and two runs. Gunner Thompson came on in relief and took the loss. Mayville State used four different pitchers in VCSU’s long fourth-inning rally. Jack Patten worked out of the inning and finished the game for Mayville, pitching the final 4 2/3 innings and allowing five hits and two runs.