VALLEY CITY, N.D. - The Valley City State University baseball team opens the season Thursday Jan. 30 playing against Dakota Wesleyan University in Mitchell, S.D. The double header starts at 12:00 p.m. with the second game to follow.
 
Thursday's forecast is 50 degrees and sunny, and the Vikings are looking to capitalize on the mild January weather taking on the Tigers. Head Coach Alec DeMaria said "This is very exciting and positive for us. We are playing baseball games in the Dakotas in January!
 
Watch | Game 1 Live Stats | Game 2 Live Stats
 
Viking Baseball boasts 13 seniors, 23 returning athletes on the roster for the spring 2025 season. The Vikings had all four of their 2024 All-Conference players return in 2025.
 
Hunter Magnuson a senior from Willmar Minn. who was named First Team All-Conference last season and has made double digit starts every year as a Viking.
 
Also returning Jamel Chabot is a Second Team All-Conference catcher who made 45 starts as a freshman leading the team with a .336 batting average and finished the year with 49 hits.
 
Senior Jaden Babiuk returns as a two-time Second Team All-Conference athlete playing both short stop and catcher. Babiuk started in all 54 games last season.
 
Lastly, Takao Cookson will return for his sophomore season after recording and impressive freshman season where he was named NSAA Freshman of the Year and Second Team All-Conference. Cookson pitched in 17 games and made seven starts earning a team best 2.96 ERA.