Butterfield and Farnsworth help Dickinson win 1st game of doubleheader against Minot

• Briana Farnsworth

Press Photo by Royal McGregor Dickinson junior Briana Farnsworth turns on a pitch on Tuesday afternoon during the first game of a West Region softball doubleheader against Minot High at Gress Softball Complex. Farnsworth had a double on the hit and had four doubles in the game, which Dickinson won 10-8. Minot won the second game 12-4.

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The temperature outside might have been cold, but the Dickinson High softball team didn’t have to wait long for its bats to warm up.

Dickinson used a five-run sixth inning to defeat Minot High 10-8 in the opener of a West Region doubleheader, but dropped the nightcap 12-4 on Tuesday at Gress Softball Complex.

“They scored a couple, we were able to answer the bell and come back,” Dickinson head coach Bill Butterfield said.

The Midgets sent Haley Butterfield into the pitcher’s circle for Game 1. The sophomore posted 11 strikeouts in a home loss against Bismarck Century on Thursday. She upped the ante, striking out 12 in seven innings.

“Haley did a nice job,” Bill Butterfield said. “Overall she pitched a real good game for us.”

Powering Dickinson’s offense in the first game was Briana Farnsworth. She was 4-for-4 with four doubles and scored two runs.

“We definitely had our bats going,” Dickinson junior Madi Steier said. “Our first inning (on field) was good with the one, two, three. That’s just something to be proud of and we just have to focus on getting better at it.”

The Midgets (2-3) added to their offense when Steier hit a two-run triple in the second inning. The junior left fielder nearly deposited a home run, but it sneaked just foul.

“That was great,” Steier said with a laugh. “I guess I wasn’t expecting it.”

In the pitcher’s circle in the first game for Majettes was Madison Irmen, who threw seven innings and struck out two.

Dickinson built a 4-1 lead after the third inning, but Minot (2-2) was able to inch back. The Majettes claimed a 6-5 lead in the sixth, but the Midgets scored five runs in bottom of the inning to keep the game in hand.

“We are trying to be more aggressive at the plate,” Minot head coach Gerard Cederstrom said. “The girls went up and I give them some credit. They went out and hit the ball and made them make plays.”

In the second game, it was all Minot from the get-go. The Majettes piled up an 8-4 lead after the third inning and added four more in the sixth.

Lexi Benno took the win for Minot, throwing seven innings, allowing the four runs and striking out seven.

Benno’s counterpart, Dickinson senior Kelsey Lafond, was tagged with the loss after allowing eight runs and striking out two in three innings.

The Midgets’ big surprise of the night was eighth-grader Madison Jahner stepping into the circle for the first time this season throwing two shutout innings of the three she worked.

Jahner got into a little trouble in the sixth when she allowed four runs, but Bill Butterfield said it’s just a little different ballgame at the varsity level.

“I’m real proud of her,” he said. “She’s been waiting for her moment. She stepped right in, threw some balls and I had a little visit with her and she was fine.”

The seven through nine hitters in Minot’s lineup went 7-for-12 and combined for four runs.

Dickinson’s next set of games are at the West Fargo Invitational, which starts Friday and continues Saturday.

Bill Butterfield said it will be a good chance for the girls to get a look at the teams on the east side of the state.

“We are just feeling everybody out this first time through,” he said. “We are looking forward to this weekend and see how we stack up against teams in the east.”

Minot 010 320 2 — 8 9 1

Dickinson 031 115 0 — 10 16 3

Maddie Irmen and Katie Clark. Haley Butterfield and Briana Farnsworth. W–Butterfield (2-1). L–Irmen. HR–None.

Highlights: M, Aubrey Wunderlich 2-for-4, SB; Kendra Sojl 2-for-4, 2 runs; Kelsey Lafond 3-for-4, 2 runs; Miranda Fenner 1-for-3, 2B, SB; Clark 1-for-4, SB; Lexi Benno 1-for-4, 2B; Irmen 1-for-4; Mckaya Johnson 1-for-4. D, Farnsworth 4-for-4, 4 2B; 2 runs; Rachel Jahner 2-for-4, 2 runs; Lexi Yates 2-for-4; Sierra Rohr 2-for-3; Madi Steier 1-for-4, 3B, 2 RBI; Riana Cooper 1-for-3.

Minot 133 004 0 — 12 15 0

Dickinson 202 000 0 — 4 9 3

Benno and Clark. Lafond, Madison Jahner, Fransworth and Yates. W–Benno. L–Lafond (0-2). HR–None.

Highlights: M, Wunderlich 3-for-5; Fenner 3-for-4, 2 runs; Hannah Gefroh 3-for-4; Alexis Van Rees 3-for-4; Jessie Kongelf 1-for-5; Sjol 1-for-5; Clark 1-for-5; . D, Jessica Priebe 2-for-3; Farnsworth 2-for-3; Rachel Jahner 1-for-4; Lafond 1-for-4; Yates 1-for-3; Butterfield 1-for-4; Cooper 1-for-2; Madison Jahner 1-for-2.

Records: M 2-2, D 2-3.

Tags: dickinson midgets, minot majettes, sports, softball, preps, midgets