Minot High’s McKenna Nygaard went 1-for-1 with a pair of walks and scored twice during the second game of a doubleheader against Jamestown on Thursday, April 2, at the University of Jamestown Bubble. The Blue Jays won both contests. Mike Kraft/MDN

Different bubble. Different result.

After opening the season with a pair of victories in the friendly confines of the Minot State Bubble earlier in the week, the Minot High softball team were unable to mirror that success inside the University of Jamestown Bubble.

The Majettes’ WDA season got off to a rocky start, dropping both games of a doubleheader to Jamestown on Thursday, April 2. Maddie Hoff tossed a no-hitter, striking out 10 and walking two as the Blue Jays took the opener, 20-0, in four innings. Minot High fared better in the nightcap, but Jamestown completed the sweep with a 14-4 victory in five innings.

In the opener, Jamestown scored all 20 of its runs over the final three innings, plating five in the second, seven in the third and eight in the fourth to enact the mercy rule.

The Majettes (2-2 overall, 0-2 WDA) didn’t have a baserunner get past first. Grace Burdick walked to lead off the second, but Hoff struck out Bella Conklin, Daysi Alm and Taryn Dalton to end the inning. Fisher Anderson drew a two-out walk in the third, but was left on first after McKenna Nygaard struck out. Anderson and Burdick were the only Majettes not to record a strikeout at the plate against Hoff.

The Blue Jays (3-1, 2-0) collected 15 hits – six for extra bases. Jordan Mikkelson went 2-for-3 with a triple, double, two RBIs, and two runs scored. Brooke Jackson led the Blue Jays with three hits, driving in three and scoring twice. Mikkelson and Jackson were one of five Blue Jays with multiple hits. All nine starters scored a run and eight touched home plate at least twice.

Hoff threw 69 pitches and 42 strikes for the complete-game win. She retired the side via strike outs in the second and fourth innings.

The Majettes registered four hits in the nightcap and took a 1-0 lead in the first on an RBI triple by Darby Mowbray to score Nygaard from first.

The lead was short-lived, however, as the Blue Jays struck for two in the bottom half of the inning. Jackson led off with a double to center and scored two batters later on a wild pitch. A single off the bat of Mikkelson brought in Megan Jarret to put the Blue Jays in front.

Jamestown added two more before the Majettes rallied for three runs in the third to tie the game 4-4. Mowbray collected her third RBI of the game with a two-run double to right, scoring Nygaard and Anderson. Conklin brought Mowbray home with a single to left.

The Blue Jays plated the final 10 runs of the game over their final three plate appearances. They scored four runs on a triple, three doubles and a single in the third, and added four more runs in the fourth and two in the fifth. An RBI single to left by Graves with the bases loaded brought in Jamestown’s 14th run and ended the game early.

Morgan Scott earned the win in the circle for Jamestown, allowing four runs on four hits over three innings, striking out four and walking two. Hoff pitched the final two innings and again didn’t allow a hit, recording all six outs via strike outs.

Mowbray finished 2-for-3 with a triple, double, three RBIs and a run scored.

Graves and Mikkelson each finished with a game-high three hits. Graves went 3-for-4 with four RBIs and Mikkelson was 3-for-3 with three RBIs. Jackson and Sophia Bond each had a pair of doubles. Six Blue Jays had multiple hits.

The Majettes travel to Dickinson for a doubleheader on Saturday, April 11, beginning at noon.