Ryan tops Jays
The scores didn’t show it, but JHS fastpitch softball coach Mike Soulis said his team played their best two games of the season Thursday. Minot Ryan featured a pair of hard-throwers in the circle, and some pop at the plate en route to 11-1 and 15-4 victories at McElroy Park.By: By Dave Selvig, The Jamestown Sun, The Jamestown Sun
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The scores didn’t show it, but JHS fastpitch softball coach Mike Soulis said his team played their best two games of the season Thursday.
Minot Ryan featured a pair of hard-throwers in the circle, and some pop at the plate en route to 11-1 and 15-4 victories at McElroy Park.
“It’s hard to believe just based on the scores getting 10-runned twice, but it’s the best we’ve played,” Soulis said. “Those were the two best pitchers we’ve seen this year and going back to last year.
“We had a tough time adjusting early on, but we made some adjustments and definitely got better as the games went on.”
Soulis was also pleased with pitcher Kadie Anderson, who is only a freshman.
“Kadie threw well. She threw strikes and changed up her speeds a little bit and got them off balance,” he said.
The Blue Jays got their run on an RBI single by Stacey Fritz that scored Kyra Dewald.
Minot Ryan pitcher Hannah Stewart registered 11 strikeouts.
Brieann Backes totaled nine Ks in the nightcap, although the Blue Jays did get to her for four runs.
Ashlie Meier and Kayla Thoele each stroked doubles as the Blue Jays tallied twice in the first and third innings.
Minot Ryan scored in every inning but the third.
“We want to avoid those big innings where we make a couple mistakes and it kind of gets away from us,” Soulis said.
But there were things to latch onto for the Jays, who were playing just their fifth and sixth varsity games in the sport.
“As much as I hate losing there are moral victories for us to build on,” Soulis said. “This isn’t an overnight kind of deal. We have to build it, but we’re going in the right direction.”
The Blue Jays (2-4) play three games this weekend in West Fargo, starting today at 4:30 p.m. against Fargo Davies. They take on Fargo North and Grand Forks Central Saturday.
Minot Ryan 11, Jamestown 1, 6 Innings
Lions 130 205 — 11 9 1
Blue Jays 000 001 — 1 2 2
Hannah Stewart and Maddie Lipp. Kadie Anderson and Ashlie Meier. W—Stewart. L—Anderson.
Minot Ryan 15, Jamestown 4, 6 Innings
Ryan 340 62 — 15 17 2
Jamestow n 202 00 — 4 2 4
Brieann Backes and Sheyenne Schmidt. Kayla Thoele, Anderson (4) and Meier. W—Backes. L—Thoele.
Sun sports editor Dave Selvig can be reached at (701) 952-8460 or by e-mail at daves@jamestownsun.com
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