VALLEY CITY, N.D. – Valley City State University scored three runs in the first inning and never looked back Thursday afternoon as the Vikings downed Dickinson State 7-1 in winner's bracket play at the NSAA Softball Championship.

Marissa Hawkins' two-run single gave the Vikings a 3-0 lead after the first inning, and Viking pitching and defense took care of the rest. Emily Smith and Emilee Wilson combined to allow just five hits and one run to the Blue Hawks. The top-seeded Vikings tacked on two more runs each in the fourth and fifth innings.

Valley City State (48-3) advances to the Gold Bracket Championship and will play Friday at 4 p.m. Dickinson State (26-23), the No. 4 seed, drops into loser-out play in the Gold Bracket and will play at 12 p.m. Friday.

Valley City State took the lead quickly. After Emily Smith struck out the side in the top of the first inning, the Viking offense put up three runs in the bottom of the inning. Two straight walks and a bunt base hit loaded the bases with no outs. Riley Perryman then dropped one in behind second base, scoring the game's first run. Marissa Hawkins followed with a two-run single to right field, scoring Perryman and Voni Culp for a 3-0 lead.

Dickinson State cut the Viking lead to 3-1 after four innings. Jaya Allen doubled with one out and then came in to score after Whitney Mesi singled to center field and the throw in skipped away towards the dugout.

The Vikings tacked on two more runs in the fourth inning, including a sacrifice fly by Jayme Menard, and then Tatum Lundin finished the scoring with a two-run triple in the bottom of the fifth inning.

Smith went the first five innings in the circle to pick up the win. The junior right-hander struck out seven and gave up just four hits and an unearned run en route to her second win of the day. Emilee Wilson pitched the final two innings, giving up just one hit and striking out four.

Lundin and Hawkins each had two hits and two RBIs to lead the Viking offense. Both of Lundin's hits were triples. Voni Culp, Autumn Perry and Emily Smith each added a hit.

Kayla Stephens and Whitney Mesi each had two hits for the Blue Hawks, while Jaya Allen went 1-for-3 with a run.

Abi Brooks took the loss for Dickinson State, giving up seven hits and five earned runs in 3 1/3 innings. She walked three and struck out one. Allen pitched two innings of relief, did not allow a hit and walked one.