VCSU hit 8 home runs in Friday's doubleheader.
Viking bats power doubleheader sweep
Valley City State (N.D.)
FOREST CITY, IOWA – Valley City State hit eight home runs – including a walk-off shot by Shane Nixon – as Viking Baseball swept a doubleheader with Presentation College on Friday.
Adam Thompson had five hits and two home runs in game one as the Vikings rolled to a 16-6 victory in seven innings. In game two, Shane Nixon hit a walk-off 2-run home run in the bottom of the seventh to deliver a 10-8 victory.
Valley City State improves to 8-22 overall and 4-10 in conference play. Presentation College drops to 0-28 overall and 0-14 in the conference.
Up next: The Vikings and Saints play another doubleheader Saturday at 12 p.m. in Forest City, Iowa.
VCSU 16, Presentation College 6
Adam Thompson had five hits and two home runs to highlight an offensive explosion by the Vikings in game one.
Thompson hit a lead-off solo home run in the bottom of the first inning to set the tone and the rest of the offense followed suit. VCSU finished with 16 runs on 17 hits in the 16-6 victory, ending the game by run rule after seven innings.
Thompson went 5-for-5 with a double and two home runs, three runs scored and three RBIs. Dustin Mertz, Shane Nixon and Zach Veneman also homered, while Jaden Babiuk and Drew Nixon each had two doubles. The Vikings had 11 extra-base hits in the win.
Babiuk was 2-for-3 with three runs and two RBIs, while Drew Nixon batted 2-for-4 with two runs and three RBIs. Mertz was 2-for-3 with three RBIs, and Shane Nixon went 2-for-3 with two RBIs.
Connor Nelson started on the mound for VCSU and worked three innings, allowing seven hits and five earned runs while striking out four. Harrison Metz pitched four scoreless innings of relief to pick up the win. Metz struck out four and allowed just three hits.
VCSU 10, Presentation College 8
Shane Nixon capped the sweep with a walk-off home run Friday evening, delivering a 10-8 win in game two.
The Vikings scored seven runs in the third inning – including a 2-run home run by Kaden Rozdeba and a grand slam by Shane Nixon – to take an early lead. Presentation College battled back to go ahead 8-7 in the sixth inning, but the Vikings had the answer. Jaden Babiuk tied the game at 8-8 with an RBI single in the bottom of the sixth. In the seventh, Dustin Mertz reached on an error to start the inning and then Shane Nixon delivered the walk-off shot – an oppositive field home run to right field.
Shane finished the game going 2-for-4 with two home runs and six RBIs. Seven other Vikings had one hit each.
Brooks Brown started on the mound for the Vikings and worked 3 1/3 innings, allowing seven hits and five runs. He walked one and struck out two. Jace Hanson pitched 1 1/3 innings of relief, and then Riley Resnick pitched the final 2 1/3 innings for the win. Resnick allowed just one hit and one unearned run while striking out two.