MAYVILLE, N.D. – The Valley City State softball team tied the school record for wins as they swept a doubleheader Wednesday at Mayville State, picking up their 39th and 40th wins of the season.

The Vikings held the Comets to just one run and five total hits in the doubleheader, winning 7-1 in the opener and 1-0 in a game two pitcher's duel.

On the same day they moved up to No. 7 in the national poll, the Vikings improved their record to 40-3 overall and tied the single-season school record of 40 wins set back in 2016. VCSU is now 20-2 in conference play, extending its lead over Bellevue University to three games with just six conference games remaining.

Up next: The Vikings and Comets will rematch Wednesday in Valley City. That doubleheader starts at 3 p.m. on VCSU's softball field. It will be the first home games the Vikings have played on dirt this season. All their previous home games were played on the football turf.

VCSU 7, Mayville 1
Valley City State scored one run in the first inning, three in the third and three more in the sixth as they opened the doubleheader with a 7-1 victory.

Marissa Hawkins opened the scoring with an RBI single, plating Joelle Aiello and giving VCSU a 1-0 lead. In the third inning, the Vikings scored all three of their runs with two outs. Hawkins started the rally with a two-out single, Autumn Perry followed with a walk and Kadie Anderson drove them both home with a deep double to centerfield. Anderson then scored on an error to make it 4-0.

Leading 4-1 in the sixth inning, VCSU broke the game open with three more runs. Tatum Lundin doubled and later scored on an error, and then both Riley Perryman and Marissa Hawkins were hit by pitches with the bases loaded.

Emily Smith earned the win in the circle after starting and going six innings for the Vikings. Smith allowed just two hits and an unearned run over her six innings. She did not walk anyone and struck out nine. Amber Stewart pitched a perfect seventh inning to close out the victory.

VCSU finished with nine hits in the game, including two each by four different players. Aiello was 2-for-5 with two runs and an RBI at the top of the order. Culp and Lundin both went 2-for-4 and scored a run each. Hawkins finished 2-for-3 with a run and RBI. Anderson had the other hit with her big two-run double in the third inning.

VCSU 1, Mayville State 0
Joelle Aiello singled home Tatum Lundin in the third inning for the only run in game two. That's all the run support Emliee Wilson would need. The freshman pitcher pitched 6 2/3 total innings, giving up only three hits. She walked one and struck out seven.

Emily Smith recorded one out in the circle, coming in with two runners on in the fourth inning to record a strikeout and end the threat.

VCSU managed only three hits in the game as well, getting one each by Aiello, Kadie Anderson and Tatum Lundin. All three of those hits came in the third inning, allowing VCSU to score its only run of the game.

Annika Seedborg took the tough-luck loss for Mayville State, pitching a complete game and giving up just three hits and the one run.