MADISON, S.D. – Valley City State was forced to move their four-game series with Dakota State to Madison, South Dakota. In game one, the Vikings rallied to score five runs in the bottom of the seventh to pull out a 6-5 win. The Trojans took game two 3-2.

The Vikings are 15-16 on the season and 2-8 in the Frontier Conference. Dakota State is 5-5 in the Frontier Conference and 13-19 overall.

GAME 1: Valley City State 6, Dakota State 5
The Vikings, who despite being on the road, are the home team in this series, struck first in the bottom of the first inning. With Hunter Logan at third and one out, Alexis Velasco grounded out to second base, allowing Logan to score and give the Vikings the early 1-0.

Connor Martin worked out of two bases-loaded jams in the first and second innings. In the first, Martin struck out Cameron Kittridge with the bases loaded to end the inning. Then in the second, Martin walked the bases loaded, then got a line out and a strikeout to end the inning. At one point, Martin retired eight batters in a row and eleven out of 13. But his luck started to run out in the top of the sixth.


He walked the leadoff batter, the gave up a single. Jarrett Faue came in to relieve Martin. He retired the first man he faced on a sacrifice bunt. With runners are second and third, Aidan Marsh hit a chopper towards third. Viking third basemen Devin Minney tried to get the runner coming in from third. But his throw was on the first base side of home plate and Kittridge scored to tie the game at 1-1. After a walk to Connor Raney loaded the bases, Faue struck out Aidan Perry. But the next batter, Camaron Haller launched an 0-1 delivery down the left field line and over the fence for a grand slam to make it 5-1 Trojans.

The Vikings got two runners on in the bottom of the sixth but could not score.

In the bottom of the seventh, the Vikings would plate five runs for the walk-off win. With one out and runners at first and second, Cody Wielgosh singled to left, scoring pinch-runner Diesel Goya from second. Hunter Logan, who singled stopped at second. A wild pitch moved runners to second and third. Velasco hit his second sacrifice fly of the game, scoring Goya to make it 5-3 Dakota State. Nick Senn singled to center field, scoring Wielgosh to make it 5-4. With runners at first and second and two out, Kaden Rozdeba singled to left, when the ball was misplayed by the left fielder, Brady Papineau and Merik Junker both scored. Papineau's headfirst slide beat the throw to the plate, scoring the winning run and ending the Vikings seven-game losing streak.

Hunter Logan was 2 for 3 with two runs scored. Cody Wielgosh was 2 for 4 with a run and an RBI. Nick Senn was 1 for 3 with an RBI, Anthony Madsen was 1 for 3, and Kaden Rozdeba was 1 for 4. Alexis Velasco drove in two runs with two sacrifice flies.

Connor Martin pitched five innings, allowing two hits, two runs, with eight walks and ten strikeouts. Jarrett Faue allowed one hit and three runs in his one inning of work. Anthony Carrisquillo retired the Trojans 1-2-3 in the top of the seventh setting the stage for the walk-off win. He picked up the win in relief and is 1-0 on the season.

Game 2: Dakota State 3, Valley City State 2
Dakota State struck first in the night cap. Aidan Perry hit a two-run home run to left field in the third, giving the Trojans a 2-0 lead.

Valley City got one of those runs back in the bottom of the fourth on a sacrifice fly by Brady Papineau.

Takao Cookson would clamp down on the Trojans after that, retiring the next twelve batters he faced. After two walks in the seventh inning, Cookson came out, Anthony Carrasquillo, the game one winner, got the last out to keep the game at 2-1.

The Vikings would tie the game at 2-2 in the bottom of the eighth on a safety squeeze bunt by Cody Wielgosh, scoring Cam Pero who singled to lead off the inning.

Dakota State took the lead in the top of the ninth with an unearned run when Hunter Den Boer scored on an error to make it 3-2.

The Vikings got the tying run on in the bottom of the ninth but could not push him across and had to settle for a split of the doubleheader.

Cam Pero led the Viking offense by going 2 for 3 with a run scored. Cody Wielgosh, Kaden Rozdeba, Diesel Goya, were all 1 for 3. Wielgosh scored a run and drove in one. Anthony Madsen was 1 for 4 with a double.
Takao Cookson had a quality start by going 6.2 innings, allowing four hits, two earned runs, with four walks, and five strikeouts. After getting the win in game one, Anthony Carresquillo picked up the loss in game two. He allowed one hits and one unearned run in 1.2 innings.

UP NEXT: The two teams continue the series Tuesday with games at 1:00pm and 4pm at Flynn Field in Madison, South Dakota.