DICKINSON, N.D –
Madden Bogenreif's two-out, two-run home run in the bottom of the eighth inning lifted the Valley City State Vikings to a 6-5 win over Bellevue in the opening round of the Frontier Conference Softball Tournament Thursday in Dickinson.
Valley City State is now 26-24 overall. Bellevue falls to 21-28.
After neither team could dent the scoreboard in the first four innings, Valley City State broke through first in the bottom of the fifth when
Kylee Banerd launched a three-run home run to center field, giving the third seed Vikings a 3-0 lead.
The score stayed that way until the top of the seventh inning when Bellevue scored three runs. Daniela Ramirez had a two-run single to cut the VCSU lead to 3-2. Marguerite Brown tied the game with a two-run single making it 3-3.
The Vikings had a chance to win in the bottom of the seventh with the bases loaded and no one out. But Mariah Unverzagt struck out two Vikings a
Jenna Decker lined on at the third baseman to end the threat.
In the top of the eighth, Breanne McMurtry homered to give the Bruins a 4-3 lead. Two batters later, Leslie Egan clear the fence to make it 5-3 Bruins.
In the bottom of the eighth,
Avery Kuklinski walked, forcing the Bruins to pitch to pinch-hitter
Bailey Leroux. The freshman doubled to the gap in left-center field, scoring Kuklinski to make it 5-4 Bellevue. Then on a 2-1 pitch, another freshman,
Madden Bogenreif homered to left-center field ending the game and sent the Vikings to Friday's winner's bracket game.
Bogenreif was 2 for 5 with her tenth home run of the season and two RBI.
Kylee Banerd was 1 for 2 with a three-run home run, her eighth of the season.
Avery Kuklinski was 1 for 1 with two runs scored and three walks.
Bailey Leroux was 1 for 1 with an RBI double.
Kennadi Stone was 1 for 2 with a run scored.
Jenna Decker,
Anna Kowalyk,
Ahleeya Nicola and
Katelyn MacNeill were all 1 for 4.
Cooper Klaahsen got the win in relief going one inning, giving up two hits and one earned run. She walked one and struck out one.
Maddy Hazelton pitched seven innings, scattered six hits, allowed four earned runs with five walks and eight strikeouts.
In other games on day one. Bismarck State beat Carroll College 9-8. Dickinson State won 10-2 over Dakota State. Providence beat Mayville State 15-12.
UP NEXT: Valley City State will play #2 seed Providence on Friday, May 1
st at 3pm MT/4pm CT. The Vikings just beat Providence three out of four games in the final series of the regular season.
