OMAHA, NEB. – The Valley City State softball team split its Monday games against Bellevue University, including a 9-1 win in just six innings to round out the four-game series. VCSU also fell to the Bruins 6-1 in the first game of the day.
Ashlyn Diemert was 5-for-8 at the plate with a home run and 4 RBIs on the day. VCSU is now 16-15 overall and 5-3 in the North Star. Bellevue holds a 17-15 mark on the season and a 4-4 conference record.
Valley City State is scheduled to host the University of Jamestown for its home opener April 12-13 at the VCSU Softball Complex.
Bellevue 6, VCSU 1
The Bruins scattered a pair of runs across three innings Monday to defeat the Vikings 6-1. With the bases loaded and two outs in the second inning,
Ashlyn Diemert delivered an RBI single to center field to score VCSU's lone run of the game.
The Vikings totaled seven hits in the game, including two apiece from Diemert and
Logan Gronberg.
Kennadi Stone scored VCSU's run and Diemert and
Ashlyn Schumacher each stole a base Monday.
Cooper Klaahsen got the loss for VCSU after starting in the circle and working 3 and 1/3 innings. She allowed four runs on five hits, walked two and struck out four.
Maddy Zander pitched 3 and 2/3 innings in relief and allowed two runs on five hits. She did not walk a single batter and struck out six.
Bellevue's Katie Cunningham got the win after pitching a complete game. She allowed one run on seven hits, walked one and struck out nine. The Bruins totaled 10 hits Monday led by Kaitlyn Fisher who posted a double and a triple while scoring one run. Breanne McMurtry drove in two runs and Laila Fiscus scored twice for Bellevue.
VCSU 9, Bellevue 1 (6 innings)
Valley City State needed just six innings to rout the Bruins in the series finale. Diemert smashed a 2-run home run to put the Vikings ahead in the second inning and held onto the momentum to score at least a run in the next four innings to decide the game by run-rule.
VCSU added a run in the third inning on a passed ball, and later added two runs in the fourth inning on RBIs from Gronberg and
Avery Kuklinski. The Vikings continued its rally into the fifth inning with RBI singles from Diemert and Katelynn MacNeill to build an 8-1 lead. VCSU's
Jenna Decker then scored the game-deciding run after capitalizing on a Bruin error in the bottom of the sixth inning.
The Vikings were led by Diemert who was 3-for-4 at the plate with a home run and three RBIs.
Makenzee Stone was 2-for-3 at the plate while she and
Madison Hazelton each scored two runs Monday. Kuklinski added a double for the Vikings.
Hazelton picked up the win in the circle after pitching all 6 innings. She allowed one run on just three hits, walked three and struck out five.
Bellevue totaled just three hits in the game and Savannah Short drove in the lone Bruin run. Abby Dworak got the loss in the circle after starting in the circle and working 2 and 2/3 innings. She allowed three runs on three hits and walked two.
