MINOT – The Valley City State softball team dropped its season opener to Minot State as well as an exhibition game against NDSCS Friday at the Minot State Dome.
Valley City State managed just five hits on the day, including two from freshman
Maerin Dartnell. The Vikings open the season with an 0-1 record and play two more games Saturday at the Minot State Dome.
Minot State defeated VCSU in a 7-0 season opener Friday. Minot posted three runs in the second inning, including a 2-run double by Taryn Bennett, to break open scoring. The Beavers added a single run in the fourth and fifth innings and two more runs in the sixth en route to the shutout win.
The Vikings found just two hits in the game. Dartnell singled in the third inning and
Amanda Hiner reached in the sixth but the Vikings couldn't find a way to score.
Maddy Zander got the loss for the Vikings after 4 innings of work. She allowed five runs on seven hits while walking six and striking out three.
Joelle Lamontagne pitched 2 innings in relief and allowed two runs on four hits. She walked two and struck out two.
Minot State's Taryn Bennett was 3-for-4 at the plate, doubled twice, scored three runs and drove in three. Reegan Floyd went the distance in the circle and allowed just two hits, no walks and collected five strikeouts.
The Vikings also dropped an exhibition game to North Dakota State College of Science, 8-0. Dartnell and
MacKenzie Rist each singled in the game, and
Alyssa DePoorter doubled.
Logan Gronberg reached on a hit-by-pitch, but the Vikings wouldn't bring its baserunners home.
The Vikings committed five errors in the game and allowed three unearned runs.
Rhyan Sigmeth got the loss after tossing 4 innings, allowing six runs on six hits. She walked four and struck out 10.
Logan Gronberg pitched 3 innings in relief and allowed two runs on three hits while walking one and striking out three.
NDSCS totaled nine hits in the game led by three from Riley Tappy, while Meredith Frey scored three runs. Emma Johnson got the win in the circle after pitching 5 innings and allowing just two hits. She walked four and struck out five.
UP NEXT: VCSU plays two more games at the Minot State Dome on Saturday, facing Dakota Wesleyan at 12:15 p.m. and MSU-Moorhead at 2:30 p.m.
