VCSU Baseball ends season with loss to Viterbo Sunday

FOREST CITY, IOWA – The Valley City State baseball team ended its season Sunday after a 15-6 loss to Viterbo University in the NSAA Postseason Tournament.

Viterbo built a lead with a 5-run second inning but a 3-run homer from Avery Bennefeld in the fourth closed the gap to 7-6 in favor of the V-Hawks. VCSU could not get closer the rest of the way as they end the season with a 22-22 overall record and a 1211 record in conference play.

No. 7 Viterbo will face No. 2 Dakota State in a loser-out game Monday. The V-Hawks defeated the Trojans 8-1 in the opening round of the NSAA Tournament on Friday.

VCSU took its only lead of the game on an RBI single from Drew Nixon in the first inning. Viterbo then put up five runs in the second inning, including a 3-run home run by Cody Wells.

The Vikings inched closer with two more runs in the third, and Bennefeld's 3-run blast in the fourth pulled VCSU within a run at 7-6. From there, it was all Viterbo as they posted eight more runs – six on RBI base-hits – in the game.

Bennefeld had a double and a home run in Sunday's game while driving in three runs and swiping the plate twice. Nixon totaled three hits and drove in a run while Sal Avila totaled two hits and drove in one. Jaden Babiuk doubled twice and Ryan Reynolds doubled once in the game.

Brooks Brown got the loss on the mound after allowing five runs – none of which were earned – on three hits while walking two.

Chase Feller pitched 4 and 1/3 innings in relief and allowed seven runs on 11 hits while walking two and striking out one. David Demeter tossed 2 and 1/3 innings and allowed three runs on three hits. He did not walk a single batter and struck out four.

Jacob Pinc got the win on the mound for Viterbo after pitching 5 shutout innings and allowing just one hit. He walked one and struck out six. Kyle Gilbertson started on the mound and worked 4 innings while allowing six runs on nine hits and striking out two.

Viterbo tallied 17 hits Sunday, led by Wells who tallied three hits, two runs and six RBIs. Zach Braun was 3-for-4 with two RBIs and Brandon Good was 2-for-2 and scored two runs. Five players doubled for Viterbo Sunday.