Courtesy of Midland Athletics
JAMESTOWN, N.D. – (RV) Midland University made the long midweek trek up to North Dakota to face the University of Jamestown on Wednesday. After taking the first game, 4-0, the Warriors were looking for a sweep but came up short as the Jimmies used a late-inning rally to win 9-5 in their home opener. The split drops Midland down to fourth in the Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) standings at 14-6 while Jamestown holds steady at seventh with a 9-9 conference record.
GAME ONE: Midland 4, Jamestown 0
The Warriors took advantage of early opportunities in the first game against the Jimmies. In the opening frame, Carly Pfitzer followed up Roni Foote‘s one-out walk with a bunt single to put a pair of runners on base for Amanda Schmaderer. During her at-bat, a wild pitch to the backstop moved both runners into scoring position. A single up the middle by Schmaderer scored two as Midland took the early lead.
An inning later, Ariyana Crafton got things going as she reached on an error with a one-out. After another errant throw sailed past the catcher, Crafton made her way to second. Mia Orduna singled to put runners on the corners before being pinch-ran for by Kevin Kight. Kight and Crafton pulled off the double steal with one run scoring. On the throw to the plate, Kight scampered over to third and got into the bag under the tag attempt. The Warriors held a commanding lead with Aliyah Rincon in the circle.
In the 4th, Orduna reached with a two-out single to left and then Emily Prai followed with a single to left as well. Looking to add another insurance run, Foote delivered with a single to center field, bringing in Orduna to make it a 4-0 game.
Through four innings, Rincon and the Warriors’ defense held the Jimmies without a hit. In addition to Rincon’s five strikeouts, there were several defensive plays by the fielders who battled a crosswind at Trapper Field.
Jamestown was able to break up the no-hitter bid in the 5th with a lead-off single. They would get a second runner on board after a hit-by-pitch but were kept on the scoreboard. The Jimmies earned a hit in each of the final two innings but were never a threat to score. After allowing a double to start the 7th, Rincon picked up her ninth strikeout of the game before inducing back-to-back flyouts to end the game.
Statistical Standouts
- Roni Foote: 1-for-3, R, RBI, BB
- Amanda Schmaderer: 1-for-2, 2 RBI,
- Mia Orduna: 2-for-3, R
GAME TWO: Jamestown 9, Midland 5
Midland had a strong start to the second game as they took a two-run lead through the 1st inning. Carly Pfitzer doubled home Emily Prai, who led off the game with a single, and then Keira Painter brought in Pfitzer with a two-out single.
Jamestown scratched across its first run of the day in the 2nd, taking advantage of a double and a pair of walks. A wild pitch in the light mist brought in the run from third to make it 2-1.
Pfitzer picked up an RBI on a sacrifice fly in the 3rd. Prai led off with a single and then scored on the flyball to right field to give Midland its two-run lead.
Following a scoreless 4th for each side, the Warriors plated two runs in the top of the 5th to make it a 5-1 game. Prai got things going once again as she reached on a bunt single. She was quickly brought home as Roni Foote hit an RBI triple to right field. Foote then scored on a wild pitch by the Jimmies’ pitcher.
Jamestown kept battling as they score one run in the home half. Two walks and a single loaded the bases and then a fielder’s choice scored one run to bring them back within three, 5-2.
In the 6th, Midland was held scoreless in the top, setting up an opportunity for the Jimmies to cut into the lead even more during the bottom half. They did that and then some, scoring seven runs off of five hits with one Warrior error. The huge inning ignited the home team as they played in front of their hometown fans for the first time this spring. They would sit the Warriors down in order in the 7th to complete the come-from-behind win, 7-5.
Defensively, Midland had one error but turned a pair of double plays. Roni Foote and Mia Orduna turned a third-to-first double play to in end the first. Then Pfitzer, Halle Meyer, and Orduna turned a textbook 6-4-3 double play to end the threat in the 5th.
Statistical Standouts
- Emily Prai: 3-for-4, 3 R
- Roni Foote: 1-for3, R, RBI, 3B
- Carly Pfitzer: 1-for-1, R, 2 RBI, 2B, BB, SAC
- Keira Painter: 2-for-3, RBI
Midland (29-12, 14-6 GPAC) will be back in action on Saturday when they wrap up the regular season with a doubleheader at Northwestern (43-4, 18-2 GPAC). First pitch is set for 1:00 p.m. in Orange City, Iowa on April 29.
