MADISON, S.D. – The Valley City State softball team's explosive sixth inning powered the Vikings to defeat Dakota State 18-6 in just six innings Saturday.

Valley City State totaled eight extra-base hits in Saturday's game from five different Vikings, including Joelle Aiello, Anne-Elise Gest, Marissa Hawkins, Makenzee Stone, and Riley Perryman. Freshman Makenzee Stone went 3-for-4, including two triples, and tallied three runs and five RBIs.

Marissa Hawkins went 3-for-5 with two runs five RBIs. Anne-Elise Gest added a double and a triple with four runs and three RBIs. Riley Perryman added two doubles and four RBIs for the Vikings.

Amber Stewart got the win for VCSU, allowing just one earned run in 5.2 innings. She recorded five strikeouts and walked just two. Joelle Lamontagne started in the circle, allowing three earned runs and walking two.

Valley City State improves to 8-3 overall this season and opens the conference with a 1-0 record. Dakota State falls to 6-11 overall and 0-1 in the conference. The second game of Saturday's scheduled doubleheader was postponed due to weather and will be made up on Sunday. The Vikings will now play three games against Dakota State on Sunday starting at 11 a.m.

The Viking bats were strong from the start as Aiello opened with a double to deep left field and scored on a double from Gest. A triple from Stone scored Gest and Autumn Perry's single to deep right-center scored Stone as VCSU led 3-0.

Dakota State answered in the bottom of the first inning with five runs on three hits to take a 5-3 advantage.

The Vikings posted two more runs in the second inning on an RBI single from Stone to tie the game, 5-5. Valley City State scored the go-ahead run in the fourth inning on a triple from Gest, followed by an RBI single from Hawkins to lead 7-5. The Trojans then scored on a Viking error in the bottom of the fourth to trail by just a run.

Valley City State put the game away in the sixth inning, tallying 11 runs on eight hits. Vikings with a scoring run in the sixth inning include Danika Balvik, Kailee Fraser, Keana Harmon, Andrea Rodriguez, Sierra Crocker, Aiello, Gest, Hawkins (2), and Stone (2). Vikings with at least a hit in the sixth inning include Crocker, Harmon, Rodriguez, Stone, Hawkins (2), and Perryman (2). The Viking defense finished with three straight outs to take the game in six innings due to the mercy rule.

Xitlali Lopez took the loss for the Trojans, allowing 14 earned runs in 5.0 innings pitched. She recorded five strikeouts, three walks, and hit three batters.

Xitlali Lopez also recorded an RBI double Saturday, scoring two. Julia Andersen, Sarah Torres, Lia Chan, and Melissa Krapf each recorded a hit for Dakota State.

UP NEXT: Valley City State will play Dakota State for a tripleheader on Sunday at 11 a.m.