MANDAN, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) – The scores looked more like football scores but it was the opening round of the West Region softball tournament and Bismarck had to hold off a late rally by Jamestown to win 19-14 to move into the winners bracket of the tournament.
Jamestown jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first when Jenna Fischer drove in Sadie Meissner with a single and Olivia Nihill scored on a wild pitch.
Bismarck would get one back in the bottom of the first on a wild pitch. Then the scoring started in bunches.
The Blue Jays would plate five in the second inning highlighted by Ella Roaldson’s three run triple. Fischer would add another rbi single giving the Jays a 7-1 lead. Lakyn Stork’s three run home run would highlight the Demons second inning.
The Demons would take the lead for good with five more in the third to go up 10-7. Emma Barta’s two-run single was the big hit that inning. Felicity Blair’s two run single was the big hit in the four run fourth that saw the Demon’s lead balloon to 14-7.
Bismarck added a run in the fifth and could have ended the game early with two runners in scoring position and one out, but Alex Nihill would retire Barta and Blair without allowing a runner to advance.
In the sixth, Jamestown played long ball to cut the lead to one. With one out, Payton Gall would single in Olivia Nihill who led off the inning with a single. Alex Nihill would single to load the bases to bring up pinch hitter Allyssa Gange. The eighth grader would send a 1-2 pitch over the right field fence for a grand slam and pull her team to within 15-12. With two out, Hannah Schiele would walk and steal second. Sydney Soulis would make it a one run game with a two run blast over the center field fence.
But that would as close the Jays would get. Bismarck would score four runs in the bottom of the sixth to go up 19-14. The only 1-2-3 inning came in the top of the seventh when Logan Gronberg retired the Jays in order without the ball leaving the infield.
Final line, Bismarck 19 runs, 20 hits. Jamestown 14 runs 18 hits.
Olivia Nihill lead the way with five hits and scored three runs. Ella Roaldson had three hits and drove in three runs. Hannah Schiele, Jenna Fischer and McKenna Jackson had two hits each. Schiele and Fischer scored twice. Soulis and Fischer each drove in two Souis, Gall, Alex Nihill, and Gange each had one hit.
Jamestown will now face Bismarck Legacy at 11am in an elimination game. The Sabres lost to Dickinson 13-12. Minot beat Williston 15-1.
You can hear the Blue Jay/Sabre game on 1400 ESPN Jamestown and NewsDakota.com at 11am with a pregame at 10:45am.