Apr. 10—MINOT — The Blue Jay softball team came so close on Thursday.
Twice.
Head coach Mike Soulis and his crew dropped 2-1, 12-11 to Minot in the team's conference opener. Soulis and the Jays will be back in action on Saturday for a home game against Mandan. Game No. 1 of the doubleheader is slated to begin at noon.
Jamestown opened the scoring in the third after Sydnee Bartsch induced Avery Graves to hit into a fielder's choice, but one run scored.
Minot jumped back into the lead in the bottom of the fourth inning after Halle Baker doubled down the left field line, and Jamestown Varsity Blue Jay committed an error, each scoring one run.
Sophomore Maddie Hoff toed the rubber for the Blue Jays in game No. 1. The starting pitcher allowed three hits and two runs — one earned — over 6,2 innings. The Jays' recorded eight Ks and 0 walks.
Minot's Sydnee Bartsch led things off in the circle for Minot. The starter allowed two hits and one run — none earned — over seven innings. She struck out 11 and walked six.
The Blue Jays demonstrated great patience at the plate, tallying six walks for the game. Sophia Bond and Marissa Moltzen each reached base twice on a walk. Jordan Mikkelson and Violet Bohl each collected one hit for Jamestown.
Minot 2, Jamestown 1
JHS 001 000 0 — 1 2 1
MIN 000 200 X — 2 3 2
JHS — Maddie Hoff; MIN — Sydnee Bartsch. W — Bartsch; L — Hoff.
Highlights: JHS — Hoff (6 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 8 K); Jordan Mikkelson 1-2; Violet Bohl 1-3.
MIN — Darby Mowbray 1-3, 2B; Gabrielle Rohrer 1-2; Halle Baker 1-3, 2B
Minot 12, Jamestown 11
JHS 230 040 2 — 11 13 5
MIN 101 002 8 — 12 14 3
JHS — Jaelyn Sloan; MIN — Baker. W — Baker; L — Sloan.
Highlights: JHS — Sloan (6.2 IP, 13 H, 10 R, 3 ER, 0 BB, 7 K) 1-3; Brooke Jackson 3-4, 4 RBI, 2B, 3B; Maddie Hoff 1-4, RBI; Megan Jarrett 2-5, 2 RBI; Sophia Bond 2-4, 3B, RBI; Violet Bohl 1-3, RBI, 2B.
MIN — Mowbray 2-4, 2B, 3B; Gabrielle Rohrer 2-5, RBI; Halle Baker 2-5, RBI, 2B; Sydnee Bartsch 2-4, RBI.
Tim Ranum has earned his first win as the Jamestown High School baseball team's head coach.
Ranum and company split with Mandan on Thursday, defeating the Braves 7-3 in game No. 1 and dropping 6-4 in the second game of the doubleheader. The Jays will be back in action on Saturday against Fargo South at Jack Brown Stadium. The game is set to begin at noon.
In game No. 1, it was Jaxon Kolpin who took the mound. The hurler allowed six hits, three runs — all earned — and retired seven. Kolpin also went .750 at the plate notching four RBIs.
Bennett Goehner went 2-for-4 at the plate. The junior recorded a triple and a pair of runs driven in.
Jamestown 7, Mandan 3
JHS 100 140 1 — 7 6 1
MAN 100 200 0 — 3 6 3
JHS — Jaxon Kolpin; MAN — Jack Tooke; Ryan Bitz (5). W — Kolpin; L — Tooke.
Highlights: JHS — Kolpin (7 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 7 K); 3-4, 4 RBI; Bennett Goehner 2-4, 2 RBI, 3B; Thomas Newman 1-2.
MAN — Hudsen Sheldon 1-4, Cameron Beaver 1-3, 2B, RBI; Troy Gerhardt 1-3, RBI, 3B.
Mandan 6, Jamestown 4
JHS 220 000 0 — 4 6 2
MAN 111 210 X — 6 5 2
JHS — Zachery Gaiser; Hudson Rode (4); MAN — Aiden Bogner; Ty Weiler (3). W —Weiler; L — Gaiser.
Highlights: JHS — Gaiser (3.1 IP, 4 H, 5 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 0 K); Ethan Oettle 2-3, 2 RBI, 3B; Jaxon Kolpin 1-4, RBI, 2B; Kale Verke 2-3.
MAN — Jensen Schulz 1-3, 2B; Marcus Bird Horse 2-3, 2 2B.