ABERDEEN, S.D. (VCSUVikings.com) – Valley City State’s softball team opened the 2019 season with a pair of wins on Saturday, defeating both Dakota Wesleyan and Presentation College at the PC Dome Classic in Aberdeen, S.D.
Emily Smith and Emilee Wilson combined for a two-hit shutout in game one as VCSU opened the day with a 4-0 win against Dakota Wesleyan. In game two, the Vikings rallied from a 4-0 deficit to defeat Presentation College, 7-4.
Up next: The No. 25-ranked Vikings play No. 24 University of Jamestown on Sunday at 10 a.m. VCSU concludes the tournament against Dakota State at 2 p.m.
VCSU 4, Dakota Wesleyan 0
Emily Smith and Emilee Wilson were lights out in the circle to start the 2019 season. Smith went five shutout innings for the win, allowing just one hit and striking out four. Wilson came on to pitch the final two innings, striking out four and giving up just one hit.
Valley City State opened the scoring with two runs in the top of the second. Voni Culp and Autumn Perry reached base on a hit by pitch and walk, and then later came around to score on a sacrifice fly from Tatum Lundin and Jayme Menard’s RBI single.
Kadie Anderson added a pair of insurance runs in the sixth inning, blasting a two-run home run to left field for a 4-0 lead. The Vikings finished with seven hits, compared to just two by the Tigers. Neither team committed an error.
Culp went 2-for-2 at the plate with a pair of runs, while Joelle Aiello was 2-for-4 out of the leadoff spot. Riley Perryman, Anderson and Menard each had one hit.
VCSU 7, Presentation College 4
The Vikings rallied from a 4-0 deficit in game two, taking the lead with three runs in the bottom of the fifth inning.
Presentation College scored all four of its runs in the top of the first inning, touching Viking starter Amber Stewart for five hits and four runs. Freshman Emilee Wilson came on in relief to get the final out of the inning, and then was lights out the rest of the way for the Vikings.
Wilson earned her first collegiate win with 6 1/3 shutout innings in relief. She struck out six, did not walk anyone and allowed just two hits. Wilson set down the final 15 batters in order, allowing the Viking offense to rally back for the victory. For the second game in a row, VCSU’s defense did not commit an error.
The Vikings started their comeback in the bottom of the first inning when Voni Culp tripled and then scored on Emily Smith’s sacrifice fly. VCSU cut the deficit to 4-3 with a pair of runs in the second inning. Three straight one-out singles loaded the bases and then Joelle Aiello delivered a two-out, two-run single to score Autumn Perry and Kadie Anderson.
VCSU took the lead with three more runs in the fifth inning. Riley Perryman’s one-out single to center field was misplayed, allowing Culp and Smith to score for a 5-4 lead. Marissa Hawkins later singled home Perryman to put the Vikings ahead 6-4. Jayme Menard doubled and scored for an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth.
Aiello led the Viking offense with three hits and two RBIs, pacing an 11-hit performance for VCSU. Marissa Hawkins added a pair of hits and an RBI, and six different Vikings had one hit each.