Hlady strikes out 12 as Vikings split with V-Hawks
(VCSU) VALLEY CITY – Valley City State and Viterbo University split another baseball doubleheader Saturday afternoon in Valley City, finishing their 4-game series with 2-2 records.
Viterbo cruised in game one Saturday, picking up a 10-0 victory and a one-hit shutout by pitcher Eric Taylor. Valley City State bounced back with a 7-2 victory in game two behind a strong pitching performance from William Hlady.
Hlady struck out 12 over 5 2/3 innings, and Christian Ramirez hit his first collegiate home run in VCSU's game two win.
Valley City State is now 14-16 overall and 5-7 in conference play. Viterbo University moves to 9-23 overall and 2-10 in the North Star Athletic Association.
Up next: Valley City State is scheduled to host Jamestown for a non-conference game on Wednesday – weather permitting.
GAME 1: Viterbo 10, VCSU 0 (7 innings)
Cole Benson hit a pair of home runs in game one as the V-Hawks cruised to a 10-0 victory in seven innings.
Benson hit a solo home run in the top of the first inning to start the scoring and later added a 2-run blast in the fifth inning. Zach Braun also homered for the V-Hawks, who finished with 10 hits.
Valley City State managed just one hit – a sixth-inning single by Jaden Babiuk to break up Taylor's no-hit bid.
Eric Taylor pitched a complete-game shutout for the V-Hawks, giving up just one hit and striking out eight.
Zach Veneman started on the mound for VCSU, working five innings as he scattered eight hits and six runs.
Benson led the VHawk offense with his two home runs. Kendal Hofer was 1-for-4 with a run and three RBIs, and Blake Warner went 1-for-4 with a run and two RBIs.
GAME 2: VCSU 7, Viterbo 0
William Hlady struck out 12 over 5 2/3 innings on the mound, scattering five hits and two runs en route to the win.
The Vikings put up five runs in the bottom of the third inning. Christian Ramirez led off the inning by drilling the first pitch he saw over the center field fence. It was the first collegiate home run for Ramirez. David Demeter followed with a 3-run home run later in the inning – his 8th of the season – and then Adam Thompson finished the rally with an RBI double to make it 5-0.
The Vikings tacked on two more runs in the fifth inning after Jayden Shipman hit a sharp grounder to second base with the bases loaded. Viterbo's Brody Larson made the stop but his throw skipped past the first baseman and two runs came around to score for a 7-0 Viking lead.
Viterbo put up its only two runs in the top of the sixth on an RBI double by Cody Wells and an RBI single by Zach Braun. The V-Hawks had two more runners on base, but Carter Dodd came on in relief for VCSU and recorded a strikeout to work out of the jam.
Dodd pitched one inning before leaving the game in the 7th after being hit by a comebacker. Jack Kelly came on to record the final out for VCSU.
Drew Nixon was 2-for-3 with a pair of runs, and Demeter went 1-for-2 with three RBIs. Ramirez was 1-for-3 with his home run and Thompson was 1-for-2 with an RBI double and a walk. The Vikings totaled seven hits, getting one each from Jett Salonek and Jaden Babiuk as well.
Viterbo finished with six hits, including two by Cody Wells. Kendal Hofer, Blake Warner, Cole Benson and Braun each had one hit for the V-Hawks.