Blue Jays fall to Lions

For the second time in five days, the Jamestown Blue Jays faced the Minot Ryan Lions on the softball diamond on Tuesday.

The Lions had their offense rolling at McElroy Park in Jamestown, as they defeated the Jays 20-0 and 17-1 to drop Jamestown’s record to 2-6 on the season.

The Jays’ Kayla Thoele picked up Jamestown’s lone hit in the first game. Miscues by the Blue Jays in the field aided the Lions’ 20-run attack.

“Their starter struck out six, and we just had too many errors in the first game,” JHS coach Mike Soulis said. “We didn’t really make them hit a whole lot either, and gave up a few too many walks.”

Jamestown held Minot Ryan scoreless in the top of the first in game No. 2, but the Lions got on the board in the second with one run, before taking on 14 more in the third to roll from there.

“We had a much better game, and it wasn’t that we didn’t throw strikes, they just hit the ball,” Soulis said of the Lions, who clubbed 18 hits in nightcap.

“In two innings they had only scored once, but we have to stay away from that big inning where we give up too many. Once you give up a lot of run things start to not work so well and you eventually lose focus.

“But the kids battled back with their attitude in the second game, and that was one of the positives.”

The Blue Jays posted just one hit in the second game as well, but it led to a run. Kyra Dewald clubbed a double in the top of the fourth and eventually scored on a fielder’s choice.

Jamestown will be back on the diamond at home Friday against Bismarck Century at 4:30 p.m.

“We just keep telling the girls to control what we can control and learn from our mistakes,” Soulis said.

Minot Ryan 20, Jamestown 0

Jamestown 000 00 — 0 1 1

Minot Ryan 35(12) 0x — 20 14 0

Kayla Anderson and Ashley Meier. Hannah Stewart and Anika Rovig. W—Stewart. L—Anderson.

Minot Ryan 17, Jamestown 1

Jamestown 000 10 — 1 1 2

Minot Ryan 01(14) 2x — 19 18 0

Kayla Thoele and Shelby Fritz. Brieann Backes and Hannah Stewart. W—Backes. L—Thoele.

Tags: jays, sports, softball