It was the last two home games of the year for Dickinson on their home field as they hosted conference foe Jamestown in a double-header Tuesday evening, May 18.
Dickinson won the first game handily 11-1 in five innings, thanks to a fast start for the offense, scoring four runs in the first inning.
Jamestown’s lone run came in the second inning, as Ava Jahner pitched all five innings for the Midgets and struck out 10 batters.
Madison McChesney had a team-high three RBIs as Dickinson put the game away in the fifth inning, scoring seven runs to put the ten-run rule in effect and end the game early.
With this win, the Midgets needed to win the second game to clinch at least a share of the WDA regular season title.
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Game two was much closer than game one, and the Blue Jays were able to get Dickinson game two starter Mataya Mortensen early, loading the bases in the first inning.
But the Midgets held strong, and allowed only one run in the opening frame to keep Jamestown in check.
“They could’ve taken advantage of that and gotten multiple runs,” Dickinson head coach Amanda Mickey said. “I’m glad we held our composure, stayed tough, and only allowed that one run. I wish there wasn’t one run to begin with.”
Taya Hopfauf hit a big two-run double in the third with two outs to give Dickinson a 2-1 lead. The Midgets added another run in the fourth when Jahner stepped up to the plate and hit a two-run home run and extended the lead to 5-1.
She wasn’t done yet.
Jahner hit another two-run home run in the sixth to further extend the lead 7-2.
“She is a great hitter,” Mickey said. “There were times where she’s not on her game and not seeing the ball but when she’s locked in, that’s when she drills it out. She has a beautiful swing, great kick, and has been with us for a couple years in the program. For being a freshman, she’s so natural at it. The kid comes through clutch in big situations.”
It wasn’t the best outing on the mound for Jahner, who pitched three innings in relief of Mortensen. She gave up two solo home-runs to the Blue Jays as they attempted to mount a comeback.
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But you could say Jahner’s performance at the plate evened out the runs she gave up, as both of her home runs were two-run shots, whereas the long balls she gave up were only solo home runs.
Jahner had more strikeouts than Mortensen, who pitched one more inning than her teammate in relief, striking out six compared to five for Mortensen.
At 23-2, Dickinson will wrap up their regular season with another double-header at Bismarck Legacy on Thursday, before the regional tournament begins on May 27.
