SIOUX CENTER, IOWA – The Valley City State softball team took a pair of wins to open play at the Dordt University Dome Friday.
 
The Vikings defeated Dakota Wesleyan 9-1 in six innings and went on to defeat tournament-host Dordt University, 5-1. Maddy Zander paced the Vikings Friday with two home runs and eight RBIs.
 
VCSU improves to 4-5 on the season. The Vikings play two more games Saturday in Sioux Center, taking on No. 15 Northwestern at 10 a.m. and Briar Cliff at 12 p.m.
 
VCSU 9, Dakota Wesleyan 1 (6 innings)
Maddy Zander's 3-run homer in the bottom of the sixth inning gave the Vikings a 9-1 victory over Dakota Wesleyan decided by mercy rule.
 
To open scoring in the game, VCSU's Maerin Dartnell drove in Andrea Rodriguez in the second inning. Dakota Wesleyan's McKinnley Mull then drove in a run in the top of the third to tie the game at 1-1, but the tie was short lived as Makenzee Stone drove in Sierra Crocker in the bottom half of the inning to build back the Viking lead, 2-1.
 
The Vikings then found a two-out rally in the fourth inning. Zander's single to centerfield with the bases loaded scored two runs for the Vikings. Makenzee Stone's base-hit loaded the bases for Alyssa DePoorter who delivered a 2-run double.
 
Zander also got the win in the circle after allowing just one run on five hits. She walked only one and struck out six.
 
The Vikings totaled 11 hits in Friday's win, led by Dartnell and Stone who each recorded three hits and one RBI. Zander garnered two hits, scored two runs and drove in five for the Vikings. DePoorter doubled and drove in two runs Friday.
 
VCSU 5, Dordt 1
The Vikings kept it rolling in the second game of the day, powering 11 hits in a 5-1 victory over Dordt University.
 
VCSU started strong right away, loading the bases with no outs in the top of the first inning. Sierra Crocker, Skylar Spessard and Maddy Zander each drove in a run to build a 3-0 lead early. Zander added a solo homer in the fifth inning to add on to the Viking lead.
 
The Vikings held the Defenders scoreless until the fifth inning when Aurora Tyson drove in Brooke Rule for an unearned run.
 
VCSU scored one more run in the seventh inning on another Zander RBI for the final 5-1 win.
 
Logan Gronberg got the win for VCSU after pitching a complete game. She allowed just three hits and one unearned run in the game while walking two and striking out five.
 
Crocker was 3-for-3 at the plate with an RBI while Skylar Spessard was 2-for-4 with an RBI. Zander drove in three runs and scored one. Dartnell, Gronberg, Avery Kuklinski and Lauren O'Loughlin each scored a run for the Vikings.