MINNEAPOLIS, MINN. – Reed Butz pitched 6 1/3 strong innings and David Demeter hit a 2-run home run as the Valley City State baseball team split a Saturday doubleheader against Midland University.
Playing at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, the Vikings won game one 3-2 behind a strong pitching performance by Butz. The left-hander struck out nine batters and allowed just four hits and two unearned runs over 6 1/3 innings.
Demeter hit a 2-run home run in the first inning and then earned the save in the seventh inning, recording the final two outs to preserve the 3-2 victory.
In game two, Midland University scored all five of its runs in the third inning and then hung on down the stretch for a 5-3 victory.
Valley City State is now 7-6 overall this season. Midland University moves to 11-2.
Up next: The Vikings and Warriors play another doubleheader Sunday at 3:30 p.m.
VCSU 3, Midland University 2
Midland scored two unearned runs in the top of the first inning, but the Vikings quickly tied it in the bottom half. Drew Nixon was hit by a pitch with one out, and then Demeter hit his fourth home run of the season to tie the game at 2-2.
The Vikings took the 3-2 lead in the third inning after Nixon walked, moved to second on a single by Demeter, and then scored on Carter Dodd's RBI single to right field.
That's all the offense the Vikings would need. Butz scattered four hits over his 6 1/3 innings and struck out nine batters en route to his third win of the season. Demeter came on with the tying run on first base in the seventh inning. The right-hander got a groundout and strikeout to preserve the victory and pick up his fifth save of the season.
Demeter was 2-for-2 at the plate with a run and two RBIs. Nixon scored a pair of runs, and both Dodd and Sal Avila picked up hits.
Midland 5, VCSU 3
The Vikings struck first in game two and Dustin Mertz singled home Zach Veneman for an early 1-0 lead in the first inning. The Warriors would put up all five of their runs in the third inning though, taking advantage of two Viking errors to score five unearned runs.
Valley City State chipped away with single runs in the fourth and sixth innings – including an RBI double by Judson Seliskar – but could get no closer than 5-3.
Mertz and Seliskar both went 2-for-3 with an RBI, while Jaden Babiuk and Demeter each had a hit. The Vikings finished with three runs on six hits.
Chase Feller took the hard-luck loss, allowing five unearned runs in 2 1/3 innings. He gave up four hits and walked two. Marcus NIemann pitched 4 2/3 shutout innings in relief, giving up just two hits and no walks.
