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Repeating history

Majettes softball swept by Dickinson for second time this season

Ashton Gerard/MDN Minot High sophomore Landry Maragos makes contact with the ball during a doubleheader Thursday against Dickinson in Minot.

Almost a month ago, on April 20, the Minot High softball team was swept by Dickinson, 7-5 and 6-5. Back with a second chance, this time in a non-conference matchup, the Majettes (17-7, 13-3 WDA) couldn’t pull through, losing to the Midgets (21-1, 15-1 WDA) 13-3 in Game 1 and 12-1 in Game 2, each game stopping after five innings.

With the cancellation of today’s game due to the chance that it might rain, the Majettes played their last regular season game at South Hill Softball Complex.

“I think we were very flat, we didn’t attack the plate,” Minot High head coach Gerard Cederstrom said. “We made some mistakes in the field.”

During Game 1, Dickinson had a five-run inning paired with two three-run innings and a two-run inning to dominate the Majettes.

Two fielding errors by the Majettes in the first inning allowed a runner on base and a runner to score. A double brought another runner in for a two-run inning for Dickinson.

Ashton Gerard/MDN Sophomore left fielder Jailee Britt for the Majettes throws a ball from the fence during a doubleheader Thursday against Dickinson at South Hill Softball Complex in Minot.

With no runs scored by the Majettes, Dickinson was back on the field in the second with a five-run inning. Dickinson was hit by a pitch and had a hit to land runners on second and third. After a ground ball went through a Majette’s legs at shortstop, a runner was able to score.

A single drive allowed another Dickinson runner to score with runners remaining on first and third. A missed catch in the outfield allowed two more runners to score. A double by Dickinson out to left field allowed the final runner of the inning to score.

With two strikeouts and a ground out in the second, the Majettes still weren’t able to get on the scoreboard. The Midgets led 7-0 after two innings.

With solid fielding in the third and a fly ball caught by Jailee Britt in left field, the Majettes held the Midgets at seven.

Hailey Espe started batting at the bottom of the third, hitting a single to get on base. Landry Maragos followed Espe with a single and, on a throw, Espe was able to make it to third.

Jaycie Rostad grounded to Dickinson’s shortstop, who threw her out at first. During the throw, Espe was able to find her way home to put Minot on the board.

A sacrifice fly by Rylee Terrel pushed Maragos to third, but a strikeout on the next batter left her stranded.

Dickinson had back-to-back 3-run innings to go up 13-1 on Majettes.

With at least three runs at the bottom of the fifth, the Majettes could remain in the game. Britt, batted in by Rostad, and Espe, batted in by Terrel, were the only runs scored by the Majettes. This cut the game short after five.

The winning pitcher for the Midgets was Amber Sickler with four strikeouts. Terrel for Minot had two strikeouts in Game 1.

“They’re a very good team and they were clicking on all cylinders today,” Cederstrom said. “I can’t take anything away from what they did today. They came here focused and ready to go and we just weren’t that ready and didn’t match their intensity today.”

Fielding improved for the Majettes in Game 2, but so did Dickinson’s hitting power.

At the top of the first, catcher Rostad was quick to a foul ball for the first out of the inning. Dickinson’s Kennedy Kuntz then hit a triple to right field. A fly ball caught by Maragos allowed Kuntz to score, but gave Dickinson their second out.

A ground ball straight to Terrel at shortstop was thrown to freshman Rhone Nelson at first for the final out of the inning.

Maragos and Rostad made it on base in the first. Maragos was tagged out sliding home and Rostad didn’t have the chance to try before the side was retired.

Dickinson scored two runs in the second and the Majettes answered with a run of their own. Britt, who landed on base due to a pop up in left field, advanced to third on a hit by Nelson. Junior Sophie Wedar came in with a bunt and was enough to send Britt home.

Dickinson scored another four runs in the third, going up on Minot, 7-1. A home run hit by Dickinson’s Taya Hopfauf allowed three runs in their five-run fourth inning. After four, Dickinson led 12-1.

Both teams were held scoreless in the fifth to remain 12-1 and ending the game early.

“(Dickinson) came out hitting,” Cederstrom said. “They put up runs early and often and we just didn’t answer it right away.”

Maybe it was the gloom in the sky or the fact that this was the Majettes’ last home game, but something did not sit well with the team. The team, according to Cederstrom, was not mentally in the game like they needed to be.

“Amanda Spelhaug did a good job throwing her first varsity game,” Minot assistant coach Bill Irmen said. “For her first time, she threw strikes and what more can we ask her to do?”

Mataya Mortensen of Dickinson was the winning pitcher for Game 2 with two strikeouts.

Coming into the postseason, Cederstrom is confident these final games won’t affect the team.

“We’ll come next week and get after practice,” he said. “We got things to work on, we know it, we’ve been working on it. It’s up to the kids, they need to come and work hard and get after it.”

WDA Regionals begin next Friday, May 25, at Fort Lincoln Elementary School in Mandan.

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