Vikings Softball Split Final Games

(VCSU) ABERDEEN, S.D. – The Viking softball team split a pair of games Saturday at the Presentation College Dome Classic, finishing another 3-1 weekend inside the PC Dome.

The Vikings dropped game one to No. 20 Morningside College, 9-1, but bounced back with a dominating 14-0 win against Dakota Wesleyan.

Valley City State is now 6-2 overall this season. Both of VCSU's losses have come against Morningside College, which has started the season with an 8-0 record.

Morningside College 9, VCSU 1

The Vikings opened Saturday with a 9-1 loss to Morningside College. The Mustangs scored two runs in the second inning and two more in the fourth to build a 4-0 lead. The Vikings cut the deficit to 4-1 after a solo home run by Marissa Hawkins in the fifth, but Morningside broke the game open with three runs in the sixth and two more in the seventh.

VCSU ended the game with one run on seven hits. The Vikings committed two errors. Morningside scored its nine runs on 12 hits.

Anne-Elise Gest collected two hits for VCSU, while Hawkins and four others each had one hit.

Joelle Lamontagne pitched 5 1/3 innings, allowing eight hits and seven runs. She walked one and struck out one. Brooke Gaudry pitched 1 2/3 innings in relief, giving up six hits and two runs.

VCSU 14, Dakota Wesleyan 0

Emily Smith struck out 14 batters in a fiveinning shutout, and the Viking offense pounded out a season-high 15 hits and 14 runs to end the weekend with a dominating victory.

Smith was nearly untouchable in the circle, recording 14 of the 15 outs with strikeouts. She allowed just three hits and did not walk a batter in her fourth win of the season.

VCSU's offense erupted for a season-high 15 hits, including seven doubles and a triple. The Vikings scored 11 runs in the top of the third inning and then tacked on three more runs in the fifth.

Six different Vikings had at least two hits in the victory. Anne-Elise Gest went 3-for-3 and scored three runs, and Makenzee Stone was 3-for-4 with two runs and an RBI. Andrew Rodriguez was 2-for-4 with a team-high four RBIs. Sierra Crocker and Riley Perryman each drove in three runs. Joelle Aiello had a pair of hits and has now recorded a hit in all eight games this season.

Up next: Valley City State has more than a month off before starting conference play on March 27 at Dakota State University.