Jimmies, Saints pull past Warriors in conference matchups
By Matt Oliver
FOREST CITY – Victory eluded the Waldorf University softball team in a pair of hard-fought North Star Athletic Association (NSAA) matchups on Sunday.
The University of Jamestown (24-7, 9-2) claimed a 6-3 win over the Warriors (7-21, 3-9) in the opener. Presentation College (15-23, 3-9) topped Waldorf 5-4 in eight innings during the weekend finale.
The Warriors pounded out 18 hits on the day, but stranded 18 base runners in the two games.
Waldorf senior Jessica Abrahamson ripped a two-run double, turning in a 2-for-3 performance at the plate in Game 1. Senior Kaitlin Murphy went 2-for-3 with a pair of doubles and drove in a run. The Warriors received two hits from senior Andrea Hartmann while sophomore Taylor Bell and junior Trista Bures contributed singles in an eight-hit effort.
Hanna Dunnigan and Emma Keller paced the Jimmies as they each went 2-for-3 with solo home runs. Sydney Jeffers and Emily Newman added two hits apiece. Jamestown collected 11 hits, four of which were homers.
Dunnigan (9-3) locked up the win. She struck out nine batters, walked four and yielded three runs on eight hits in seven innings.
Senior Maggie Hawley (1-5) was tagged with the loss. She recorded a strikeout and allowed five runs (four earned) on nine hits in five innings of work.
Waldorf sophomore Kaylie Brindley gave up a run on two hits while closing out the final two innings.
The Warriors struck first as Abrahamson singled in two runs during the bottom of the first inning.
Dunnigan connected on a one-out double in the second and scored Jamestown’s first run following an error.
Murphy smacked an RBI double in the third, pushing Waldorf to a 3-1 lead.
Keller led off the fifth with an inside-the-park home run. Autumn Wang went deep with a two-run blast as the Jimmies went in front 4-3.
Jamestown built a three-run advantage in the sixth following solo homers from Dunnigan and Brooke Rheault.
The Warriors threatened throughout the contest. They left the bases loaded in the fifth and six innings, stranding 10 runners in the loss.
Sophomore Hattie Hupke led Waldorf, going 3-for-4 with an RBI single in the second game. Bures went 2-for-3 with a homer and three RBIs. Senior Maggie Eden provided two hits, including a double. Junior Ashton May, senior Maggie Hawley and Hartmann finished with singles.
Presentation’s Amber Ewert and Jaycee Herman turned in two hits each while Shelby Anderson went yard with a two-run shot.
Ashlyn O’Keefe (5-7) secured the win. She notched five strikeouts, issued two walks and gave up four runs (three earned) on 10 hits in eight innings.
Hartmann (1-8) was hit with the loss. She fanned three batters, walked one and surrendered five runs (four earned) on nine hits in eight innings.
Haylee Hemmert gave the Saints an early edge, scoring on an error in the top of the first.
Presentation jumped out to a 4-0 lead after putting together a three-run third inning. Kassandra Orozco knocked in a run on a groundout and Anderson drilled a two-run homer.
Bures and Hupke connected on RBI singles in the fourth to trim Waldorf’s deficit to two runs.
The Warriors tied the game in the sixth as Bures crushed a two-run shot to left field. It was the second homer of the season for the Diamond Bar, California native.
A leadoff single from Ewert put the Saints in business during the eighth. Ewert advanced to second when Krystle Schweers laid down a sacrifice bunt. Shanice Webb singled up the middle, bringing home Schweers for the go-ahead run.
Waldorf drew a one-out walk in its half of the eighth, but Presentation’s defense retired the final two batters to deny a comeback.
The Warriors return to action on Tuesday, stepping away from conference play to host Clarke University (17-15) in a 4 p.m. doubleheader.