BALDWIN CITY, KAN. – The Valley City State softball team fell 4-1 to No. 6 College of Idaho in its NAIA National Tournament Opening Round game Monday afternoon.
 
Marissa Hawkins drove in Ashlynne Copinga to score the only Viking run of the game. Copinga now totals 69 runs scored this season, tying Voni Culp's single-season school record set in 2019 during VCSU's run to the NAIA World Series.
 
VCSU drops to 28-22 on the season. The Vikings will face (RV) Indiana Southeast on Tuesday at 2:30 p.m. in a loser's-out game. Indiana Southeast is the No. 3 seed in the Baldwin City bracket and fell 3-0 to #7 Baker University on Monday.
 
The Vikings allowed just one earned run in the bottom of the first inning, and then tied the game in the fourth inning on Hawkins' RBI single. College of Idaho added three more unearned runs to expand its lead. 
 
VCSU put two runners on base in the seventh inning but could not bring them around as the Yotes held on to take the game, 4-1. 
 
Marissa Hawkins tallied two hits and an RBI to lead the Viking offense. Ashlynne Copinga and Sierra Crocker each added a hit, and Copinga swiped a base in the game.
 
Maddy Zander started in the circle and worked five complete innings. She allowed four runs – only one of which was earned – and six hits while walking five and striking out two. Joelle Lamontagne pitched a perfect inning in relief and struck out one.
 
College of Idaho's Haley Loffer and Kaily Christensen each had two hits in the game and Loffer scored two runs.
 
Katelyn Wilfert got the win in the circle after pitching all seven innings, allowing just one run on four hits. She did not walk a single batter and struck out four.
 
UP NEXT: VCSU will face (RV) Indiana Southeast on Tuesday at 2:30 p.m. in Baldwin City, Kan. No. 6 College of Idaho plays No. 7 Baker University at 12 p.m.