The Minot North softball team scored runs in each of the first five innings to secure a doubleheader split with a 9-5 victory over Jamestown in the nightcap on Thursday, April 30, at Scheels South Hill Complex.

The Sentinels dropped the opener 11-8.

Minot North finished Game 2 with 13 hits – five extra-base hits. Aven Kelly got the Sentinels on the board in the opening inning, launching a two-run home run over the center field fence with two outs. Kelly was 2-for-3 with two RBIs and a run scored.

The Sentinels (9-7 overall, 7-7 WDA) added three more in the second. Macy Welstad delivered an RBI single to score Cole Kotaska and Kinzy Welstad followed with an RBI double to center for a 4-1 lead.

Minot North scored a run in the third, two in the fourth and another in the fifth. All nine batters recorded a hit. Kinzy Welstad went 3-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored. Kate Coleman drove in two runs and scored once. Kambry Burckhard went 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored.

Tiecyn Hertz picked up the win in the circle. She pitched all seven innings, allowing five runs on seven hits, striking out 10. She threw 135 pitches and faced 36 batters.

A late rally in the opener fell just short. The Sentinels trailed 11-3 entering the bottom of the sixth. They scratched across a run in the sixth on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Eliese McCann, scoring Mya Bagwell from third.

With two outs and nobody on base in the seventh, Minot North put the next five batters on base. Hertz walked and scored on an RBI double from Coleman. After another walk to Kelly, Bagwell connected on a three-run home run to center.

Coleman, Bagwell and Kinzy Welstad all recorded multi-hit games and had extra-base hits.

The Blue Jays (10-8, 7-7) opened the game with a six-run first inning. Sophia Bond and Maddie Hoff both homered and Brooke Jackson doubled, as Jamestown recorded five hits in the frame.

Avery Graves hit a solo home run for the Blue Jays to lead off the third and doubled in two more runs in the fourth. Graves finished 3-for-3 with three RBIs and two runs scored.

Graves, Megan Jarret and Jordan Mikkelson all finished with three hits. The Blue Jays recorded 15 hits for the game.

Minot North hosts Williston for a doubleheader on Monday, May 4, at Scheels Sports Complex at 4:30 p.m.