DICKINSON, N.D. – The Valley City State softball team took a 5-2 victory over Dakota State Friday to eliminate the Trojans from the NSAA Postseason Tournament. Holding a one-run lead, Alyssa DePoorter smashed a 2-run homer to put the game out of reach.
 
VCSU improves to 24-22 on the season and ends Dakota State's season at 7-37 overall. The Vikings survive to play another loser-out game Saturday at 2 p.m. CT against the winner of No. 3 Bellevue and No. 5 Mayville State.
 
The Vikings totaled 11 hits in the game and scattered a lone run in three different innings. Gronberg totaled an RBI single in the first and fourth innings, and Kylee Banerd added one in the third to hold a 3-0 lead after four innings.
 
In the top of the fifth inning, Dakota State's Quincy Hartley delivered a 2-run single to cut VCSU's lead to 3-2, but Alyssa DePoorter added insurance for the Vikings with a 2-run homer in the bottom of the fifth.
 
VCSU's Maddy Zander picked up the win in the circle after pitching 4 complete innings. She allowed two runs on four hits, walked four and struck out four. Cooper Klaahsen earned the save after pitching 3 shutout innings, allowing two hits and striking out three Trojan batters.
 
Gronberg went 3-for-3 with two RBIs and DePoorter contributed a 2-run home run. Ashlyn Diemert went 2-for-2 with a double, drew two walks and scored two runs.
 
Dakota State's Analicia Burgos started in the circle and got the loss Friday. She worked 4 innings and gave up five runs on 10 hits, walked two and struck out two. Maycee Bricker pitched 2 innings in relief and allowed one hit and walked two. Hannah McFarland and Ally Morrissey each finished with two hits and scored a run for Dakota State.