Valley City, N.D. – Valley City State dropped a tough 9-8 decision to Bismarck State in non-conference baseball action Wednesday at Charlie Brown Field.

VCSU is 22-20-1 overall and 9-11-1 in the Frontier Conference. The Mystics are 20-21 overall and 7-13 in the conference.

Valley City State got on the board in the bottom of the first inning. With the bases loaded, Grady Shipman drew a one-out walk, bringing in Devon Minney to make it 1-0. Merik Junker reached on a fielder's choice, scoring courtesy runner Izzak Warholik to make it 2-0 Vikings.

Bismarck State got a run back in the top of the second on a bases-loaded walk to Lucas Vasey, making it 2-1 VCSU.

In the bottom of the inning, the Vikings scored three times to take a four-run lead. Hudson Ford led off with a double then Diesel Goya beat out a bunt single to put runners at first third. Goya stole second before Cam Pero hit a sacrifice fly to score courtesy runner Owen Harig. With two out and runners at first and third, Jackson Penner stole second, when the throw to second went into center field, Goya came across to score, making it 4-1 Vikings. Penner advanced to third on a balk then scored when Junker beat out an infield hit, making it 5-1 Vikings.

Bismarck State came back in the top of the sixth when Eric Reiling drove in two runs with a single to right, making it 5-3 VCSU.

The Mystics would take the lead in the top of the seventh inning with a two-out, three run rally. Pacey Phillips two-run home run tied the game at 5-5. Kaden Wilcox doubled, then scored on Brayden Bunnell's triple to give BSC a 6-5 lead.

VCSU would tie the game in the bottom of the seventh. With runners at first and third, Minney grounded one to second base. The ball went through the legs of second baseman Greyson Dockter. Harig scored to tie the game at 6-6.

In the top of the eighth with the bases loaded and two out, Phillips was hit by a pitch, scoring Karsen Haney, giving the Mystics a 7-6 lead.

The Vikings would retake the lead with two runs in the bottom of the eighth. Warholik had an RBI single to tie the game at 7-7. Minney drew a bases loaded walk to give the Vikings an 8-7 lead.
In the top of the ninth, a two-out bases-loaded walk to Dockter tied the game at 8-8.

The game would stay tied at 8-8 until the top of the tenth when a bases-loaded walk to Haney scored Phillips to make it 9-8 Mystics.

The Vikings would get runners at first and second in the bottom of the tenth but could not get anyone home and the Mystics picked up the non-conference win to even the season series at 4-4.
 Merik Junker was 2 for 5 with a triple, a run scored, and two RBI. Grady Shipman was 2 for 4 with an RBI. Hudson Ford was 2 for 5, Devin Minney was 1 for 6 with a run scored and two RBI. Izzak Warholik was 1 for 3 with two runs scored and an RBI. Diesel Goya was 1 for 3 with a run scored. Jackson Penner was 1 for 2 with a run scored. Evan Gonzalez was 2 for 2 rounding out the twelve hit attack.

UP NEXT: The Vikings have a pivotal four-game series coming up with Dickinson State this weekend at Charlie Brown Field. Friday game one first pitch is at 1pm, game two at 4pm. Saturday, game one first pitch is at 12:00pm with game two following at 3pm. Second place in the conference and a first-round bye will be on the line this weekend.