JAMESTOWN – The start of the 2026 season for Jamestown Blue Jays Softball was good in game one, but the defending champs put on some hurt in game two.

On Saturday, Jamestown opened its season with a 7-6 win over Horace, then lost 12-2 to 2025 Class A champion Williston.  Both games were played at the University of Jamestown’s Nelson Family Bubble as part of Softball Day in North Dakota.

Jamestown 7, Horace 6
Megan Jarrett, whose hitting picked up as her freshman season continued, started her sophomore campaign with a double, two triples and three RBI. Her second triple broke a 4-4 tie and drove in the go-ahead run for Jamestown in the top of the seventh inning. Avery Graves followed with an RBI single and winning pitcher Madilyn Hoff hit an RBI double.

Horace scored twice in the bottom of the seventh inning, but Jamestown held on for the win as the Hawks left the tying and go-ahead runs in scoring position.

Hoff struck out 12. Graves drove in two runs. Sophia Bond also drove in a run.

Williston 12, Jamestown 2 (6)
In their season opener, the Coyotes immediately showed the form that led them to the school’s first softball championship last season, scoring six runs in the first three innings and five more in the fifth. Akayla Slagle hit two doubles and drove in three runs.

Morgan Scott allowed six runs and eight hits in three and two-thirds innings starting in the circle for Jamestown. Two errors by the Blue Jays led to nine unearned runs. Jarrett drove in both Jamestown runs with a double and a single.

Jamestown will open WDA play with a doubleheader against Minot on Thursday. Coverage will begin at 4:15 PM Thursday on The Voice of the Blue Jays, Jamestown 107.1.