ORLANDO FLA. – The Valley City State University baseball team fell 11-5 to Mount Vernon Nazarene University, in their first game at the RussMatt Invitational. This was their first of 10 games in the sunshine state. The Vikings are now 6-6 in the 2025-26 season. MVNU is now 8-3 to start the season.
 
Valley City State came out sharp against Mount Vernon Nazarene, setting the tone early with a dominant first inning. After the visitors went down in order with three strikeouts delivered by Takao Cookson in the top half, the Vikings wasted no time capitalizing. Hunter Logan sparked the offense with a single and later scored on an RBI base hit from Alexis Velasco. Kaden Rozdeba followed with an RBI double to left, giving VCSU a 2-0 advantage after one inning.
 
Mount Vernon Nazarene chipped away in the second and eventually pulled even in the fifth. An RBI double in the second cut the lead to 2-1, and despite several strong defensive frames from the Vikings, the Cougars tied the game at 2-2 with another run in the fifth. Valley City State answered immediately in the bottom half. Velasco doubled to center field, and Rozdeba delivered again with an RBI double to center. Brady Papineau and Jackson Penner each added RBI singles as VCSU strung together four hits to reclaim a 5-2 lead.
 
In the top of the sixth Mount Vernon Nazarene capitalized on an error, some walks, and timely hits to score five runs, several of them unearned. Looking to rally late, the Vikings had limited opportunities over the final three frames. Mount Vernon Nazarene added two insurance runs in the eighth and two more in the ninth. Valley City State collected a few base runners in the closing innings, including a ninth-inning single from Velasco, but fell 11-5.
 
VCSU's Takao Cookson pitched five innings with six strikeouts. Easton Francis, Caleb Hoiseth, Anthony Carrasquillo, Derek Peterson, and Michael Simbulan made appearance on the mound. Hoiseth (0-3) was credited the loss. Alexis Velasco helped lead the Vikings offense going 3/5 with two runs and an RBI. Kaden Rozdeba was 2/4 with two RBIs and a run.
 
MVNU saw Ryan Willoughby (1-0) pitch six innings earning his first win of the season. Caden Conn relieved for the final three. Tyler Ooten was 2/3 with two runs, and two RBIs to lead the Cougars.
 
UP NEXT: The Vikings are set to take on Waldorf University Iowa on Tuesday, March 3 at 8:30 a.m.