BELLEVUE, NEB. – The Valley City State softball team split its games Sunday at Bellevue University, including an 11-3 victory decided on Alyssa DePoorter's solo home run in the bottom of the fifth inning.
 
VCSU totaled six home runs Sunday, including three from senior Marissa Hawkins. The Vikings later fell 8-2 in the second game of the day.
 
The Vikings and Bruins conclude the series with a 2-2 split on the weekend. VCSU is now 10-17 on the season and 4-3 in the North Star. Bellevue moves to 17-9 overall and 6-2 in the conference.
 
VCSU's conference game against Mayville scheduled for April 5 has been postponed due to field conditions. The Vikings will be back in action for a four-game series at Viterbo April 7-8.
 
VCSU 11, Bellevue 3 (5 innings)
The opening game of the day featured four Viking home runs including a walk-off solo shot by Alyssa DePoorter to decide the game 11-3 in VCSU's favor.
 
Sierra Crocker's two-run single kicked off a big third inning for VCSU. Marissa Hawkins added a three-run homer and Makenzee Stone followed with a solo shot to center to build a 6-0 lead at the end of the third inning.
 
The Vikings continued its rally into the fourth inning, helped by an RBI double by Ashlyn Diemert and a run-scoring single from Riley Perryman. Hawkins then hit her second home run of the day, swinging on the first pitch, to make it 10-0 after four innings.
 
Bellevue managed to score three runs in the fifth inning, but Alyssa DePoorter's solo homer decided the game by run rule.
 
Joelle Lamontagne got the win in the circle, working all 5 innings in the game. She allowed three runs on eight hits, struck out one and did not walk a single batter.
 
VCSU managed 11 hits in the game, including four home runs. Hawkins, Perryman and Ashlynne Copinga each had two hits and Hawkins drove in a team-best five runs.
 
Lauren Jurek started in the circle and got the loss for Bellevue after 2 and 1/3 innings. She allowed six runs on six hits and struck out two. Savannah Gunn pitched 1 and 2/3 innings in relief and allowed five runs on five hits.
 
Reese Floro went 3-for-3 with a double while Sami Reding added a two-run home run.
 
Bellevue 8, VCSU 2
VCSU then dropped the second game of the day, tallying just three hits in the game. VCSU totaled three errors and allowed seven unearned runs.

Bellevue used a six-run fifth inning including a grand slam by Myla Beckstrom to build a lead they would hold onto down the stretch.
 
VCSU's Riley Perryman and Marissa Hawkins each homered to put the Vikings on the board. Ashlynne Copinga added the other Viking hit Sunday.

Maddy Zander started for VCSU and got the loss in the circle. She tossed 4 and 2/3 innings, allowing six unearned runs on five hits. She walked three and struck out one. Hawkins pitched 2 and 1/3 innings in relief. She allowed two runs on two hits while walking five and striking out two.
 
Bellevue's Cory Carrillo got the win after pitching a complete game. She allowed two runs on three hits while walking two and striking out five.
 
Atiana Rodriguez and Reese Floro led the Bruins with two hits each, and Beckstrom added a grand slam.