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ARIZ (VCSUVikings.com)- The Viking softball team dropped a pair of games Friday in Tucson, Ariz., losing 6-4 to Minnesota-Crookston and 11-2 to Benedictine University.With the two losses, VCSU drops to 11-15 overall. The Vikings are now 4-8 on their trip to Tucson.

Up next: Valley City State closes its spring break trip Saturday with a 3:30 p.m. doubleheader against Midland University.

 

Minnesota-Crookston 6, VCSU 4
Trailing 3-0 in the fourth inning, the Vikings eventually rallied to tie the game at 4-4 in the fifth inning after scoring two runs in both the fourth and fifth innings. Crookston struck last though, plating two runs in the top of the sixth for a 6-4 victory.

VCSU finished with four runs on eight hits while Crookston had six runs on nine hits. Neither team committed an error in the game.

Kelli Moore had three of VCSU’s hits, scoring a run and also driving in one run. Emily Smith went 2-for-2 with an RBI.

Haley Butterfield started at pitcher for VCSU and went 4 1/3 innings, allowing five hits and three runs. She walked four and struck out five. Morgan Nalley pitched the final 2 2/3 innings, giving up four hits and two runs. Nalley was tagged with the loss.

Benedictine University 11, VCSU 2
VCSU struck first, scoring two runs in the top of the first inning, but it was all Redhawks from there. Benedictine Mesa broke the game open with seven runs in the fourth inning and ended the game early by run-rule.