VALLEY CITY, N.D. – Grady Shipman pitched five solid innings, and Connor Hoyt had three hits as Valley City State downed Mayville State 8-4 in college baseball Wednesday afternoon at Charlie Brown Field.

Valley City State is now 2-2 in the fall season. Mayville State is 2-3.

Shipman, in his first start of the season, allowed three hits and one earned run in his five innings of work. He walked one and struckout three.

The offense got some help to start the scoring in the bottom of the third. Connor Hoyt and Kaden Rozdeba both scored on wild pitches to give the Vikings the early 2-0 lead.
The Comets got a run back in the top of the fourth. Kevin Conway doubled with two out, then scored on Zachary Evanochko's triple to make it 2-1.

The Vikings tallied one run in both the fourth and sixth innings. In the fourth, Nick Senn doubled to start the inning. Cody Wielgosh singled to center field, scoring courtesy runner Diesel Goya to make it 3-1.
In the sixth, with a runner at second and two out, Hoyt singled to left, scoring Wielgosh who walked to lead off the inning.

Mayville State did get a run back in the top of the seventh when Conway, who singled to start the inning, scored on a double play to make it 4-2 Vikings.

The VCSU scored insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth, much needed insurance runs. With the bases loaded and two outs, Porter Jorgenson doubled, scoring Brady Papineau and Hunter Logan to make it 6-2 Vikings. The next man up, Alexis Velasco, doubled in Hoyt and Jorgenson to make it 8-2. As it turned out the Vikings would need those runs.

In the top of the ninth the Comets mounted a two out rally. With runners at second and third and two away, Marshall Judish singled to right, scoring pinch runner Keegan Neva to make it 8-3 with runners at the corners. Tony Villarreal doubled in Evanochko to make it 8-4 with two on. But Anthony Carrasquillo got Jalen Denton to pop out to first baseman Alexis Velasco to end the game.

Connor Hoyt led the 13-hit attack by going 3 for 4 with two runs scored and an RBI. Alexis Velasco was 2 for 4 with two RBI, Hunter Logan was 2 for 4 with a run scored, Nick Senn was 2 for 4, Porter Jorgenson was 2 for 5 with a run scored and two RBI, Cody Wielgosh was 1 for 2 with a run scored and an RBI. Kaden Rozdeba was 1 for 3 with a run scored. Diesel Goya and Brady Papineau each scored once.

After Shipman on the mound, Easton Francis pitched three innings. He allowed five hits, three earned runs with three strikeouts. Anthony Carrasquillo pitched finished up in the ninth allowing two hits and no runs.

UP NEXT: Valley City State travels to Mayville for a single game on Sunday. First pitch is slated fort 1:00 p.m.