After losing 4-0 and 5-3 in the first two games of the day in Valley City, the Vikings bounced back with a 5-2 win in game three behind a big pitching performance from Roos. The junior right-hander allowed just five hits and two runs over six innings on the mound, and Velarde retired the Comets 1-2-3 in the final inning to seal the victory.

Valley City State is now 7-17 overall and 1-2 in the North Star Athletic Association. Mayville State, which is receiving votes in the latest NAIA Top 25 Poll, is now 18-5 overall and 2-1 in conference play.

Up next: The Vikings and Comets will close their four-game series with a single 9-inning game on Monday at 4 p.m. in Valley City.

 Mayville State 4, VCSU 0

Kody Rock pitched a complete-game shutout for the Comets in game one, scattering five hits and striking out seven Viking hitters.

Rock and VCSU’s Jacob VanVacter were locked in a pitcher’s duel for most of the game. The Comets broke a scoreless tie with one run in the fourth, and then created some separation with a pair of runs in the fifth.

Dondrei Hubbard drove in two runs for the Comets, and Jose Guzman had two hits and an RBI. Mayville State scored its four runs on nine hits. VCSU managed five hits in the game, including a 3-for-3 performance by leadoff hitter Jared Meiklejohn. Each team committed one error.

VanVacter took the loss after going six innings for the Vikings. He gave up eight hits and four runs – two of which were earned. He walked two and struck out six.

Mayville State 5, VCSU 3
One half-inning proved to be in the difference in game two. VCSU led 2-0 entering the fourth inning, but the Comets scored four two-out runs in the top of the fourth on back-to-back home runs. Spencer Merle’s 3-run blast put the Comets up 3-2 and Evyn Yamaguchi followed with a solo shot for a 4-2 lead.

VCSU cut the lead to 4-3 in the bottom of the fifth but left the tying run on third base. The Vikings would get no closer as Mayville won 5-3.

Andrew Frank took the loss for VCSU, despite tossing a solid game. He went six innings, allowed seven hits, walked just one and struck out eight. He was tagged for five runs, but only one was earned.

Conner DiNaro picked up the win after a complete-game performance for the Comets. He allowed six hits and three runs, walked three and struck out four.

Merle and Yamaguchi each had two hits and a home run to lead the Comet offense, which scored five runs on seven hits.

Emmanuel Leyva went 2-for-3, and both Jared Meiklejohn and Brady Anderson had a hit and RBI for VCSU. The Vikings scored three runs on six hits.

VCSU 5, Mayville State 2
Valley City State scored all five of its runs in the bottom of the first inning, staking Roos to an early 5-1 lead he would not relinquish. Roos worked the first six innings for the Vikings, giving up just five hits and two runs. He walked two and struck out four. Steven Velarde pitched a perfect seventh inning for the save.

After Mayville State plated a single run in the top of the first, the Viking offense responded with five straight hits and five runs in the bottom of the inning. A bases-loaded single by Joe Demers tied the game at 1-1, and then Brady Anderson followed with the fifth hit of the inning: a bases-clearing double that put the Vikings up 4-1. Anthony Necochea added an RBI single to cap the rally.

The Vikings finished with five runs on seven hits. Mayville State had two runs on five hits. Neither team committed an error.

Leyva had two hits for the Viking offense, and Anderson drove in three runs. VCSU had six of its seven hits in the first inning.

Jose Guzman and Brady Nygaard each had a hit and RBI for the Comets. After a rough first inning, Mayville State starting pitcher Zach Mahoney settled down the rest of the way. He went the distance for Mayville and gave up seven hits in the game, including just one after the first inning. He walked two and struck out eight.