VALLEY CITY (VCSU) – Valley City State freshman Marissa Hawkins has been clutch all season for the No. 9-ranked Viking softball team, and Sunday was no different.

Hawkins delivered her team-leading 33rd RBI with a walk-off single in the eighth inning of game one, capping a two-out rally as the Vikings earned a 2-1 victory over Bellevue University. The extra-inning win set the tone in a doubleheader sweep, and VCSU blanked the Bruins 12-0 in game two.

The Sunday sweep gave the Vikings three wins in the four-game series against Bellevue, which entered the weekend just a game back of VCSU in the NSAA standings. VCSU is now 31-2 overall this season and 11-1 in conference play. Bellevue University drops to 25-15 overall and 8-4 in the conference.

Up next: Valley City State is scheduled to play Mayville State on Wednesday this week. The location for that game is yet to be determined. Bellevue is scheduled to host Dakota State on Tuesday for a doubleheader at 2 p.m.

VCSU 2, Bellevue University 1 (8 innings)
Valley City State's Emilee Wilson and Bellevue's Monique Ashley were locked in a pitcher's duel until Hawkins walked it off for VCSU. Ashley and Bellevue's defense recorded two quick outs to start the bottom of the eighth inning, but Emily Smith came up with a two-out single and Riley Perryman was hit by a pitch to put runners on first and second. Hawkins wasted little time in playing the hero, lining a 1-0 pitch to the right-center gap to score Smith and win the game.

Wilson went the distance for VCSU, pitching an eight-inning complete game for the win. The freshman right-hander gave up just five hits and one run. She walked only two and struck out eight.

Ashley took the hard-luck loss for Bellevue. She gave up just six hits and two runs over 7 2/3 innings, walking three and striking out one.

The Vikings struck first in the bottom of the third inning. Voni Culp (pictured) doubled with two outs and then Smith followed with an RBI single for a 1-0 lead. Bellevue tied the game in the top of the fourth when Emily Rochford scored Ashley Young with a two-out RBI single. From there, the teams went scoreless until Hawkins' game-winner in the eighth.

Smith had three of VCSU's six hits, scored a run and drove in one. Culp, Hawkins and Autumn Perry each had one hit.

Ashley Young was 3-for-4 and scored Bellevue's only run. Rochford and Ashlyn Teran each had a hit in the loss.

VCSU 12, Bellevue 0 (5 innings)
The Vikings scored early and often in game two, putting up five runs in both the first and second innings to take an early 10-0 lead.

Valley City State scored its 12 runs on 11 hits and did not commit an error. Bellevue totaled four hits and committed two errors in the loss.

Emily Smith pitched four scoreless innings to pick up the win. Smith allowed just two hits, walked two and struck out four. Jami Nalley pitched an inning in relief to finish the game.

Eight different Vikings had hits in the game, including two hits each by Joelle Aiello, Riley Perryman and Tatum Lundin. Marissa Hawkins and Autumn Perry each had a hit and drove in two runs.

Erin Sharpe totaled two hits for Bellevue, while Randi Henry and Kaitlyn Kinman each had a hit as well. Ashlyn Teran took the loss in the circle, giving up seven hits and nine runs in 1 2/3 innings.