Alex Eisen/MDN Minot High center fielder Landry Maragos makes a jumping catch Friday evening against Bismarck High in a West Region Tournament semifinal game at the South Hill Softball Complex.

The Majettes started hot with five runs in the first inning, but the top-seeded Bismarck High Demons came roaring back Friday evening at the South Hill Softball Complex.

In a West Region Tournament semifinal contest that was supposed to start earlier in the day, but was pushed back due to rain, Bismarck High (25-3) managed to weather Minot High’s early offense for a 10-7 victory.

The No. 4-seeded and defending state champion Majettes (19-13) will now need to win a state qualifier contest to keep its season alive.

“We battled and had some opportunities to drive some more runs across and the ball didn’t find a hole,” MHS head coach Gerard Cederstrom said. “We gave (Bismarck) everything they wanted. I don’t think they wanted much more than that.”

The Majettes sent all nine batters to the plate in the top of the first inning with the first five hitters reaching base.

Senior Jaycie Rostad ignited the offense with a two-run double, Cambrie Pretzer added an RBI single and a Bismarck throwing error in the infield with two outs brought in two more runs.

Before the Demons could even come to the plate, Minot had a comfortable five-run cushion.

“It’s always important to score, I’ll take them whenever,” Cederstrom joked. “We put (the Demons) on their heels a little bit.”

Bismarck, however, answered in the third inning with eight runs off seven hits and two Majettes errors. Macy Wetsch, Breanna Madler and Paige Hanson provided the RBI hits for the Demons.

“I told them to take a deep breath and relax,” Bismarck High head coach Kurt Grensteiner said. “Take it pitch by pitch and stay positive, that’s all you can do.”

A costly miscue — not taking a force out at second base, which turned into a two-out Minot throwing error — aided Bismarck in scoring its last three runs of the third inning.

In total, five errors were made in the contest.

“A lot of the runs came off of errors,” Grensteiner said. “I think some of that was getting focused with the weather and having some jitters.”

Trailing 9-5 in the top of the fourth, Minot got an RBI hit from Landry Maragos, but stranded runners at second and third base.

MHS starting pitcher Paige Ackerman put the first two Bismarck hitters on base in the bottom half and was replaced in the circle by freshman Avery Falcon. She worked out of a bases loaded, nobody out jam by only allowing one run off a wild pitch.

“(Ackerman) had just thrown eight straight balls and walked two girls,” Cederstrom said. “We can’t afford any more walks, so (Avery Falcon) is the next man up. And Avery threw strikes.”

The Majettes got the run back on a slow roller in front of the plate by Taylee Hertz and an ensuing throwing error, 10-7.

Bismarck High starting pitcher Logan Gronberg, who also had two hits in the contest, did the rest in the circle with a couple quick innings to put the Majettes away for good.

“We hit really well, so I didn’t think we were ever really out of it,” Grensteiner said. “Sooner or later, we would put together a rally and if we could hold them down after that, we would be OK.”

The Majettes will play in a state qualifier contest at 1 p.m. this afternoon, while Bismarck High heads to the WDA title game at 3 p.m. An updated bracket can be found on page C2.

Alex Eisen covers Minot State athletics, the Minot Minotauros and high school sports. Follow him on Twitter @AEisen13.