DICKINSON, N.D. – The Valley City State softball team has won its way back into the 2025 NSAA Championship title game after defeating Mayville State and Dickinson State Saturday.
VCSU took a 17-3 win over Mayville State in 6 innings and then defeated Dickinson State 3-2 in 8 innings. VCSU last earned the NSAA Tournament title in 2023.
The Vikings improve to 26-22 on the season. No. 4 VCSU takes on No. 1 Jamestown in the NSAA Championship on Sunday at 1 p.m. CT. The Vikings will have to defeat the Jimmies twice to earn the NSAA Tournament title.
VCSU 17, Mayville State 3 (6 innings)
Valley City State came from behind 2-0 to defeat the Comets 17-3 and eliminate Mayville State from the NSAA Tournament. The Vikings erupted for 12 runs in the top of the sixth inning to secure the game by run rule.
Trailing 2-0 after three innings, VCSU took over the lead in the fourth inning with the help of a
Logan Gronberg RBI single and
Katelyn MacNeill's 2-run triple. It was all VCSU from there as they scored a pair more in the fifth before exploding with 12 runs in the sixth.
Alyssa DePoorter contributed a bases-clearing double in the big inning and
Kylee Banerd added a 2-run double.
Ashlyn Diemert went 4-for-5 at the plate and scored three runs for the Vikings while Gronberg was 3-for-4, scored two runs and drove in four.
Maddy Zander added two hits including a double, scored two runs and drove in two. MacNeill posted two hits with a triple, scored one run and drove in three.
Cooper Klaahsen picked up the win for VCSU after pitching 3 complete innings. She allowed one run on just one hit, walked one and struck out four. Zander started in the circle and pitched 3 innings for VCSU. She allowed two runs on three hits, walked one and struck out two.
Lacey Mathiowetz got the loss for the Comets after pitching 4 and 1//3 innings. She allowed five runs on eight hits and struck out two Viking batters. Madison Terres homered for Mayville and drove in two runs Saturday.
VCSU 3, Dickinson State 2 (8 innings)
Valley City State took No. 2 seed Dickinson State to extra innings and made it look easy after holding the Blue Hawks scoreless in the top of the eighth and loading the bases with just one out for
Makenzee Stone to deliver a sacrifice fly for the win.
Kylee Banerd scored the game-winning run for the Vikings.
Valley City State opened the game on top after Dickinson State walked in a run. VCSU held onto the 1-0 lead until the fourth inning when Allyson Farrington delivered a sacrifice fly to score Jessa Duggan and tie the game 1-1. It wouldn't be long though, as
Makenzee Stone answered with a sacrifice fly for VCSU, scoring
Kylee Banerd to hold a 2-1 advantage after four innings.
Dickinson State later tied the game with Celina Wilharm's sacrifice fly in the fifth inning where the game remained deadlocked to extend into extra innings.
Dickinson State opened the extra frame with a Brooke Lijewski fly out, followed by a pair of base hits from Bailey Hansen and Farrington. Kiley Hubby then drew a walk to load the bases with just one out.
Madison Hazelton managed to retire the next two batters and keep the Vikings unscathed.
VCSU began its extra frame with a walk by
Kennadi Stone.
Ashlyn Schumacher pinch ran for Stone and advanced to third base on
Kylee Banerd's single to center field. Alison Eldridge then intentionally walked
Alyssa DePoorter to load the bases.
Dickinson State earned a force out at home on
Katelyn MacNeill's contact to keep the bases loaded with just one out.
Makenzee Stone then delivered a sacrifice fly to center field, scoring Banerd for the walkoff win.
Hazelton earned the win in the circle after pitching a complete game. She allowed two runs on seven hits, walked four and struck out six. Banerd totaled two hits and scored two runs for VCSU while DePoorter added two hits and
Makenzee Stone drove in two runs.
Dickinson State's Eldridge got the loss in the circle after pitching a complete game. She allowed three runs on seven hits, walked five and struck out three. HaiLeigh Davis was 3-for-4 at the plate and Hansen went 2-for-2.
