MINOT – It was close, but not quite, twice for Jamestown Jimmies Softball in their first evening of the 2024 season.

Minot State won twice by a run, 4-3 in eight innings and 5-4, to sweep UJ Tuesday at the Air-Supported Dome.

Game 1: Minot State 4, Jamestown 3 (8 innings)

In the opener, the Jimmies were down 3-0 before Hope Ransome hit a solo homer in the UJ fourth.

Jamestown then tied the game with two sixth-inning runs.  Ally Battistoni hit a sacrifice fly and Ransome doubled to center to tie the game.

After Minot State moved the winning run to third in the bottom of the seventh, Ransome induced a two-out ground ball to force extra innings.

The Jimmies didn’t score in the top of the eighth, then the Beavers won it with a two-out RBI single by Sara Van Wickler, her second run batted in of the game, off UJ reliever Bristol Foytik.

Ransome allowed three runs and five hits in seven innings and was 3-for-3 at the plate.  Maddie Spaeth had two hits.

Game 2: Minot State 5, Jamestown 4

Again, Minot State took a 3-0 lead, this time after two innings.

In the Jamestown fourth, Samarah Martinez hit an RBI double and Mackenzie Lefebvre brought in a run with a groundball to cut the lead to 3-2.

Minot State scored twice in the sixth for a 5-2 lead, but UJ rallied in the seventh.  A two-out, two-run triple by Trinity Gregg brought the Jimmies to within 5-4, but Martinez grounded to third off MSU starter Kierra Fournier to end the game.

Gregg was 3-for-4 and Gentrey Turin hit two doubles.

Jamestown starter Abby Blair allowed five runs (two earned) and 10 hits in 5 2/3 innings with two strikeouts and two walks.

The Jimmies will open play in the Nelson Family Dome Tournament on the UJ campus Friday with games against Valley City State at 1:00 PM and Dickinson State at 7:30 PM.