ORLANDO, FLA. – Viking Baseball opened its spring break trip with a pair of thrilling one-run games Friday from Florida.
 
After dropping a 12-11 game in the opener against Siena Heights, VCSU bounced back with a walk-off win in game two to defeat Trinity Baptist College in extra innings.
 
Tied 4-4 in the bottom of the 11^th, Dustin Mertz led off the inning with a single, stole second base and eventually scored on a walk-off single by Kellen Scruggs for a 5-4 victory.
 
Valley City State is now 5-7 overall this season. The Vikings are back in action Saturday, facing Calumet College at 11:45 a.m. CT.
 
VCSU 5, Trinity Baptist 4 (11 innings)
After being held down for most of the game, the VCSU offense was able to push across runs when it mattered most in the late innings. Trailing 4-3 in the bottom of the 10^th, pinch hitter Judson Seliskar delivered a two-out RBI single that scored Cam Pero and sent the game to the 11^th inning.
 
In the 11^th,Mertz led off with a single and eventually moved around to third before Scruggs scored him with a walk-off single.
 
VCSU finished the game with five runs on eight hits. The Vikings did not commit an error. Trinity Baptist finished with four runs on six hits and two errors.
 
VCSU's eight hits all came from different players. Scruggs, Pero, Seliskar and Jamel Chabot all drove in one run.
 
Christopher Dietrich started on the mound and went 4 2/3 innings, giving up just one hit and three runs. He walked four and struck out five. VCSU's bullpen turned in a strong performance to keep the Vikings in the game. Jacob Marx, Riley Resnick, Connor Nelson and Eli Chabot combined to strike out 13 batters in 6 1/3 innings, scattered five hits and allowing only one run.
 
Resnick struck out four batters in 1 2/3 innings, and Nelson struck out six in 2 2/3 innings. Chabot earned the win after pitching 1 2/3 scoreless innings to finish the game.  
 
Siena Heights 12, VCSU 11
The Vikings opened the day with a tough 12-11 loss to Siena Heights.
 
VCSU trailed 4-1 early, but then took a 9-4 lead after an 8-run fourth inning. The Vikings led 11-9 after six innings but Siena Heights rallied with one run in the seventh inning and two more in the eighth for a 12-11 comeback.
 
Valley City State outhit Siena 16-9 in the loss. The Vikings were hampered by five defensive errors that led to nine unearned runs.
 
Hunter Magnuson started on the mound and took the loss, allowing four hits and eight runs (only one of which was earned) over three innings. He walked six and struck out five. Takao Cookson did a solid job in middle relief, pitching four innings and giving up just three hits and two runs. He walked one and struck out four. Connor Nelson took the loss after coming on in the eighth inning. He gave up two hits and two runs, only one of which was earned.
 
Dustin Mertz led the Viking offense with a 4-for-4 day in the leadoff position. He doubled, scored two runs and drove in two. Kellen Scruggs hit a 2-run home run during the big fourth inning and finished 2-for-4 with two runs and two RBIs. Daegen Morcom was also 2-for-4 with a pair of doubles and two RBIs, and both Hunter Logan and Cam Pero added two hits each.