March 27, 2025

MADISON, S.D. – Valley City State (N.D.) used a pair of fast starts to earn a doubleheader sweep over Dakota State (S.D.) Thursday afternoon at Thue Field, opening their North Star Athletic Association 20-game slate.  The Vikings exploded for seven runs in the opening inning to win the first game 10-1.  VCSU added a 7-2 victory in the second game, thanks to their six-run explosion in the second inning.

Dakota State fell to 4-19 overall record and 0-2 NSAA conference record.  It was the home opener for the Trojans after playing 21 straight games away from Madison.  Valley City State improved to 13-12 overall record and 2-0 record in the league. 

Both teams play another doubleheader Friday afternoon at Thue Field to complete their NSAA four-game series opener.  The first game is set for 12 p.m.

Game 1 – Valley City State (N.D.) 10, Dakota State (S.D.) 1 – FINAL

Valley City State erupted for seven runs to kick off the North Star conference opener.  Kylee Banerd ignited the scoring run with a solo home run to give VCSU a 1-0 lead.
With bases loaded and one out situation in the top first, Maddy Zander hit a bases-clearing 3-RBI double to balloon the Vikings' lead to 4-0. 

Banerd capped the scoring run with an RBI single to make it 7-0 in favor of the Vikings in the top first.

Dakota State snapped their scoring drought with a run scored in the bottom half of the fourth frame.  Katie Hansen led off with a single.  Brenley Goebel, pinch runner for Hansen, swiped to second base.  Hannah Feser recorded a walk.  Ally Morrissey hit a ground out to advance Goebel to third base and Feser to second base.

Hannah McFarland followed up with a walk to set up a bases loaded situation with one out for the Trojans in the bottom fourth.  Jordyn Jeffries hit an RBI sacrifice fly to score Goebel as DSU trailed 7-1.

Madison Hazelton hit an RBI single for 8-1 VCSU lead in the top fifth to score Ashlyn Diemert, who led off with a single and swiped to second base.

Valley City State plated two runs in the top seventh inning to extend their lead to 10-1, highlighted by Alyssa DePoorter's RBI single.

The Vikings outhit the Trojans 12-5 in the game.  Both teams left 10 runners on base.

Hansen collected two singles for Dakota State.  McFarland added a single, stolen base, and registered two walks.  Gabrielle Ortega-Alves and Morrissey each added a hit.  Michelle Evdos, Quincy Hartley, Mason Usselman, and Hannah Feser each had a walk.  McFarland and Goebel each swiped one base.

Logan Gronberg tallied three singles for Valley City State.  Zander added a double, single, and three RBIs.  Banerd had a home run, single, and two RBIs.  DePoorter had two hits and an RBI.  Hazelton recorded a single and an RBI.  Diemert and Avery Kuklinski each registered a single.

Mason Usselman (L, 1-9) took the setback in the pitching circle for DSU after tossing the first two outs in the first inning.  She allowed seven runs (four unearned) on six hits.  Maycee Bricker pitched 4 1/3 innings in relief, yielding one run on three hits.  Analicia Burgos worked the final two innings in relief.

Zander (W, 8-6) earned the victory for VCSU, limiting the Trojans to one run on three hits.  She registered six strikeouts and issued six walks.  Cooper Klaahsen tossed two scoreless innings in relief.

Game 2 – Valley City State (N.D.) 7, Dakota State (S.D.) 2 – FINAL

The Trojans grabbed the first lead of the game in the second game of the doubleheader.  McFarland led off with a single in the bottom first and swiped to second base.  She advanced to third base on the same play caused by VCSU's defensive miscue.  Jeffries produced an RBI sacrifice fly to score McFarland to give DSU a 1-0 lead.

Valley City State poured in six runs in the top second inning, highlighted by Diemert's 2-RBI double and Makenzee Stone's 2-RBI triple.  Gronberg capped the six-run explosion with an RBI single as the Vikings grabbed a 6-1 lead.

Jeffries drilled an RBI triple with one out in the bottom third inning to score Morrissey, who led off with a walk.  The Trojans trailed 6-2 after three innings.

Stone added an RBI single in the top seventh inning to round out the final score for Valley City State.  The Trojans left two runners on base when the game ended.

VCSU outhit DSU 12-5 in the game.  The Vikings left nine runners on base compared to the Trojans eight runners left on base.

Jeffries led DSU with a triple and two RBIs. Ortega-Alves added a single, stolen base, and two walks.  Hartley had a double.  Morrissey recorded a single and two walks.  McFarland had a single and swiped two bases.  She extended her all-time school record of 57 stolen bases.

Stone led VCSU with a triple, two singles, and three RBIs.  Gronberg tallied three hits and an RBI.  Diemert earned a double, single, and drove in two runs.  DePoorter, Kennadi Stone, and Zander each added a hit.

Makenna McGee (L, 0-2) took the defeat after working 1 2/3 innings in the pitching circle for Dakota State.  She allowed six runs (one unearned) on five hits.  Bricker tossed 4 1/3 scoreless innings in relief.  Usselman pitched the top seventh inning.

Hazelton (W, 3-2) tossed a complete game victory for Valley City State.  She gave up tow runs on five hits and issued five walks.