Jimmies softball splits "home" doubleheader against Dordt

ABERDEEN, S.D. — The University of Jamestown went back on the road to play a home game, this time with a doubleheader against Dordt University. In the first game, the Jimmies had two early errors come back to bite them in a 5-2 loss on Thursday, April 27, at Northern State’s Koehler Hall of Fame Field.

The Defenders scored two runs in the first inning when catcher Megan Neiles had two throws sail into the outfield. The Jimmies’ Mackenzie Lefebvre kept her big season going as she hit a two-run double to left in the bottom of the first to tie the game up at two. The junior finished the day going 3-for-4 with two RBIs.

The Defenders retook the lead in the fourth when Lauren Steenstra came up and hit a single up the middle to score two runs and push her team in front 4-2. The Defenders added another one in the inning to get the 5-2 win.

Despite taking a line drive off the head in the first inning, Jimmies starter Sunny Halsey managed to stay in the game and pitch 3.1 giving up four hits, three earned runs and striking out three. On the other side, the Defenders’ Abby Kraemer pitched a complete game giving up five hits and no earned runs, while striking out 10 hitters.

DU 5, UJ 2

DU: 2 0 0 3 0 0 0–5 6 3

UJ: 2 0 0 0 0 0 0–2 5 3

WP: Abby Kraemer (18-4)  LP: Sunny Halsey (6-12)

Scoring plays:

First inning:

DU: Karli Olsen scores on an error, unearned

DU: Ella Koster scores on an error, unearned

UJ: Mackenzie Lefebvre double to left-center, Maddie Spaeth, Samarah Martinez score, unearned

Fourth inning:

DU: Lauren Steenstra 2 run single, Aurora Tyson, Koster score

DU: Chandler Schemper RBI single, Emma Groen scores

Jimmies bounce back in game two: 

The Jimmies’ Hailey Schaefer pitched a complete game only giving up one run as the Jimmies got a 6-1 win over the Defenders.

In total, Schaefer gave up one run on nine hits and struck out nine Defenders hitters. The nine strikeouts are a career-high for Schaefer. It is also the third time in the last four games that Jimmies pitchers have had nine strikeouts in a game. The Defenders hurler pitched six innings giving up four earned runs on eight hits and striking out six hitters.

The Jimmies (23-19, 10-10) took an early lead when Lefebvre hit a run-scoring double to take a 1-0 lead. The hit extends Lefebvre’s hitting streak to 10 games. The Defenders (33-11, 14-6) tied the game up in the third inning before the Jimmies responded when Ally Battistoni hit a two-run double to take a 3-1 lead. The Jimmies added three more runs in the fourth inning to take a 6-1 lead.

The Jimmies' leading hitter was Trinity Gregg who went 3-for-3 with two runs. In the second game, the Jimmies had eight hits from five different hitters.

The Jimmies return to the diamond at 1 p.m. on Saturday, April 29, when they host Morningside.

Max O'Neill / The Jamestown Sun

DU 1, UJ 6

DU: 0 0 1 0 0 0 0–1 9 2

UJ: 1 0 2 3 0 0 X–6 8 0

WP: Hailey Schaefer (7-2) LP: Alexa Kopaska (5-4)

Scoring plays:

First inning:

UJ: Lefebvre RBI double, Trinity Gregg scores

Third inning:

DU: Tyson RBI single, Koster scores

UJ: Ally Battistoni 2 run double, Gregg, Angie Chin score

Fourth inning:

UJ: Martinez RBI single, Turin scores

UJ: Lefebvre reaches on an error, Martinez, Chin score, unearned