FOREST CITY, IOWA – The Valley City State baseball team split a conference doubleheader Friday as pitching ruled the day in Forest City, Iowa.
 
VCSU's and Waldorf's offenses combined to score just 8 runs over the 16 innings of play Friday. Waldorf won game one 3-0 behind a shutout from starting pitcher Ryan Meyer. The Vikings bounced back with a 3-2 victory in game two as freshman Takao Cookson picked up his first collegiate win on the mound.
 
The Vikings move to 12-21 overall and 4-6 in conference play. Waldorf is now 13-17 overall and 3-7 in the conference.
 
Up next: The Vikings and Warriors rematch Saturday with a doubleheader starting at 12 p.m.
 
Waldorf 3, VCSU 0
VCSU's Hunter Magnuson and Waldorf's Ryan Meyer dueled in the opener Friday. The starting pitchers did not allow a run through the first five innings. Waldorf finally broke through against Magnuson in the bottom of the sixth inning as Ryan Webster hit a bases-loaded double to score the game's only three runs.
 
Magnuson pitched 5 2/3 innings for VCSU, giving up three hits and the three runs. He walked four and struck out eight. Meyer pitched a 7-inning shutout for Waldorf, scattering five hits and striking out five.
 
Jaden Babiuk and Jamel Chabot each had two hits for VCSU, and Daegen Morcom added another hit. Waldorf managed just three hits in the win. Neither team committed an error.
 
VCSU 3, Waldorf 2
Viking freshman Takao Cookson earned his first collegiate win on the mound in game two. Cookson started and went the first 5.1 innings, scattering five hits and two runs. He walked only one batter and struck out seven. Connor Nelson came on for the final 3.2 innings, slamming the door for the victory. Nelson gave up just two hits and did not walk a batter for his third save of the season.
 
Third-inning doubles by Cody Wielgosh and Dustin Mertz led to a pair of runs for VCSU. Wielgosh scored on Mertz's double, and then Mertz later scored on a sacrifice fly by Jamel Chabot. The Vikings pushed across their third run in the fifth inning as Daegen Morcom doubled and later scored on a fielder's choice off the bat of Mertz.
 
VCSU finished the game with five hits – all of which were doubles. Wielgosh and Morcom each had two doubles, and Mertz finished with one double.
 
Waldorf had seven hits in the loss. VCSU did not commit an error for the second straight game.