The Minot North softball team saw its season come to an end with a 4-3 loss to Jamestown in an elimination game at the WDA Tournament on Friday, May 22, at Williston State College.

The Sentinels fell behind 3-0 after three, but closed to within a run in the final inning. Minot North entered the top of the seventh trailing 4-2 and down to its final three outs. After recording two outs right away, Kinzy Welstad singled and came around to score on an RBI single from Tiecyn Hertz. Hertz moved to second on the throw to the plate, putting the game-tying run in scoring position with two outs. On an 0-2 count, Jamestown pitcher Maddie Hoff got Kate Coleman to ground out to short, sending the Blue Jays to a state qualifier.

The Blue Jays (11-9) never trailed, grabbing a 3-0 lead in the third. Sophia Bond singled home Brooke Jackson for the game’s first run. Bond came around to score on an RBI ground out off the bat of Avery Graves. Jamestown added a third run on an RBI double from Hoff.

Cole Kotaska got Minot North (8-12) on the board in the fourth with an RBI single to short, plating Coleman. The Sentinels pulled with 3-2 in the sixth when Coleman scored again, this time off a single from Eliese McCann.

Coleman led the offense with a 2-for-4 performance, including a double for the team’s only extra-base hit.

Jamestown added a run in the sixth, with Megan Jarret knocking in Jackson on a single to center.

Minot North dropped into the loser’s bracket following a 6-3 loss to defending state champion Williston in the quarterfinal round on Thursday, May 21. The Sentinels led early, but managed just three hits off Williston pitcher Mekiah Klumker.

Both Klumker and Morgan Strietzel homered for the Coyotes, who strung together 11 hits.

The Sentinels got on the board first, plating a run in the top of the opening inning. Hertz scored on an error by the Williston catcher following a strikeout by Aven Kelly.

The score remained unchanged until the third, where Williston claimed the lead with a three-run inning. Alex Austreim led off the frame with a single and scored on an RBI double off the bat of Rylee Irgens. Alli Wilcox followed with an RBI double of her own. A Minot North error allowed a third runner to score later in the inning.

The Coyotes tacked on a run in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings for a 6-1 lead. Strietzel recorded her home run in the fourth and Klumker led off the fifth with a solo shot to left.

The Sentinels chipped into Williston’s lead during their final at-bat in the seventh. Macy Welstad delivered a two-run single to score Kotaska and Mya Bagwell. Minot North had runners at the corners with two outs, but Klumker got Hertz to ground out to second to end the game.

Klumker tossed all seven innings, allowing three runs on three hits, striking out six and walking four. Kinzy Welstad went five innings, allowing five runs on nine hits, striking out one. Hertz pitched the sixth inning.