SIOUX CENTER, IOWA – Valley City State University softball split their final day at the ASB Sports Complex Classic on Saturday, Feb. 21. VCSU started the day with an 11-3 run-rule win after five innings over Doane University. Later during the noon game, the Vikings saw their first loss of the weekend, falling 8-1 to #17 Northwestern College Iowa.
The Vikings' 3-1 performance this weekend increased their overall record to 7-5 on the season. They captured a win over Doane, who are 4-5 overall. They later fell to #17 Northwestern, who are 8-2 to start the year.
Valley City State exploded for four runs in the top of the first inning. After
Pascale Kihn hit a leadoff single, the Vikings strung together multiple at bats to load the bases.
Reagan Mieras delivered a two-run single to left center, and
Ahleeya Nicola followed with a two-run single of her own to cap the rally. The early hitting gave VCSU a 4-0 lead to start the first inning.
Later in the top of the second, Mieras came through again with an RBI single to extend the lead to 5-0. Doane answered in the bottom half with a pair of runs on a sacrifice fly and an RBI bunt single, trimming the deficit to 5-2. Valley City State quickly responded in the third, stringing together extra-base hits. Kihn doubled, bringing home
Ashlyn Schumacher,
Madden Bogenreif tripled to bring in another, and J. Decker added an RBI groundout as the Vikings stretched their lead to 8-2.
Doane scratched across a run in the bottom of the third, but the Viking offense wasn't finished. After a quiet fourth inning, VCSU capitalized on defensive miscues in the fifth. An error at first base allowed a run to score, and Mieras struck again with a two-run single to center, bringing the Vikings' lead to 11-3. After closing out the bottom of the fifth, the Vikings one via run rule, leading by eight with two innings to play.
VCSU's win was led by
Reagan Mieras, hitting 3/4, good for five RBIs and a run.
Madden Bogenreif was 2/2 with one RBI and a walk.
Grace Folkema was credited with the win, moving to 2-2 on the season after a 3.2 inning performance yielding only three runs.
The Vikings would later fall to # 17 Northwestern with a final score of 8-1. Northwestern struck in the first inning, scoring three runs off a double and two singles and stealing home to take a 3-0 lead.
Later in the bottom of the third, VCSU would score their only run in the contest from an
Olivia Kalbus home run. Northwestern tallied two more in the top of the fourth, improving their lead to 5-1. They then scored their next three runs in the sixth, to lead them to an 8-1 win.
Kalbus led the Vikings in their efforts, hitting 2/3 along with her home run.
Maddy Hazelton was credited with the loss after pitching four innings, giving up five runs.
UP NEXT: VCSU will once again face #17 Northwestern on Saturday, March 7, at the Tucson Invitational Games, starting their 10-game stretch in Arizona.
