VALLEY CITY, N.D. – Connor Martin tossed seven solid innings leading the Valley City State University Vikings to a 6-1 win over Bismarck State College in the Fall season finale at Charlie Brown Field on Wednesday, Oct. 8^th.

Bismarck State scored first on an RBI single by Cole Shirley, scoring Pacey Phillips who led off the game with a single to left. That would be the extent of the offense for the Mystics.

The Vikings got that run back in the bottom of the third. Hunter Logan walked to start the inning then was sacrificed to second by Brady Papineau. Connor Hoyt doubled, scoring Logan to tie the game at 1-1.

Valley City State added in the bottom of the fourth. Nick Senn led off the inning with a walk. Cody Wielgosh sacrificed courtesy runner Diesel Goya to second. Jackson Penner lined a single to center, scoring Goya to give the Vikings a 2-1 lead.

In the fifth, VCSU added two more runs. Kaden Rozdeba doubled down the left field line to start the inning. He was sacrificed to third by Porter Jorgenson. After Alexis Velasco walked, Senn singled to right, scoring Rozdeba to make it 3-1. Wielgosh singled to right, loading the bases with one out. Penner field out to left center field, scoring Velasco to make it 4-1 Vikings. 

The Vikings would add some insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth inning. Penner reached on an error to start the inning. He was forced at second base by Logan. Pinch hitter Evan Gonzalez singled in the hole at short to put runners at first and second. Hoyt singled to right, scoring Logan to make it 5-1. With runners at second and third, Goya laid down a perfect safety squeeze bunt, scoring Papineau to make it 6-1.

Martin and reliever Takao Cookson did the rest. At one point, Martin retired 13 batters in a row. He ended the day with four hits allowed in seven innings. One earned run, he did not walk a batter and struck out nine. Cookson retired all six batters he faced with one strikeout to earn his first save of the year.

At the plate, Kaden Rozdeba and Nick Senn were both 2 for 3. Rozdeba scored a run and Senn had an RBI. Connor Hoyt was 2 for 5 with two RBI. Alexis Velasco, Cody Wielgosh, and Jackson Penner were all 1 for 3. Velasco scored a run and Penner had two RBI. Evan Gonzalez had a pinch hit single. Diesel Goya scored a run and drove in one. Hunter Logan scored twice and Brady Papineau scored once.

Valley City State ends the fall portion of the schedule 3-2. They won't be back in action until February 13^th and 14^th when they play four games in McPherson, Kansas, two each with Central Christian College of Kansas and Dordt University of Iowa.