Blue Jays honor Nold, Monson Friday night at Jack Brown

jhs baseball walters dive 051421 — Williston's Grant Cymbaluk, left, looks on as Jackson Walters of Jamestown is stretched out after diving safely into second base Friday, May 14, 2021, at Jack Brown Stadium. John M. Steiner / The Sun

By Katie Gerber

May 14, 2021 at 9:30 PM

It has been a senior season whirlwind for Jacoby Nold and Ty Monson out at Jack Brown Stadium.

"I had no idea that it was senior night tonight. It was surprising," said Monson, a pitcher and infielder for the Jamestown High School baseball team. "I don't know when the beginning was for me but I've been playing for as long as I can remember."

Monson and Nold, the only two seniors for the Blue Jays, were honored at home plate on Friday before game No. 2 of their doubleheader with Williston. The Jays ended up falling 11-1 and 4-0 to the Coyotes, bringing their 2021 regular season record to 6-13 overall and 3-13 in the WDA. Williston now stands at 9-14 and 6-10 in the conference.

Prior to defeating Watford City 13-2 and 16-2 on May 7, the Jays' last conference win came against Bismarck High in their season opener on April 8. The Blue Jays' next chance for a pair of wins will come on Tuesday at Bismarck St. Mary's. The first pitch is slated to be thrown out at 4:30 p.m.

"We're definitely having fun, but winning would make it a little bit more fun," Nold said.

Winning takes time, especially when looking at a team like the Blue Jays.

jhs baseball hoyt n coach 051421 — Jamestown's Connor Hoyt gets a fist-bump from Michael Smith, assistant coach, after getting to third base Friday, May 14, 2021, during a game against Williston at Jack Brown Stadium. John M. Steiner / The Sun

Monson has dealt with injuries his entire Blue Jay baseball career, so the senior was in eighth grade the last time he played consistently on the field. Nold was a part of the 2019 junior varsity squad as a sophomore and lost out on the 2020 season due to COVID-19 canceling all sports last spring.

"The year off definitely did not help anything," Nold said. "One kid on our team touched the varsity field before this season. We're still playing summer ball but we're inexperienced. We're young right now."

The senior returners are not only readjusting to the game of baseball but also to a whole new coaching style.

Jack Bowman took over the head coach position back in January after seven-year head coach Kelley Kessler announced his retirement.

"It just takes time to get used to it," Monson said of Bowman's coaching system. "All of the young guys have got to learn something new, we've got to learn something new, it just takes time."

The two Blue Jays, along with the rest of the Blue Jay squad had to adjust yet another coaching change on Friday as Bowman was out due to health reasons.

"He was confident with what we had," JHS assistant coach Michael Smith said of Bowman's attitude toward his team. "I wish we could have gotten a couple wins for him but hopefully he'll be back at it with us at practice on Monday."

The Jays did their best to make the first-year head coach proud.

jhs baseball roaldson pitch 051421 — Jamestown's Brooks Roaldson delivers a pitch to a Williston batter Friday, May 14, 2021, at Jack Brown Stadium. John M. Steiner / The Sun

With Riley Erickson at third, one Williston out on the board and a 2-2 count, Blue Jay starting pitcher Jakob Schempp delivered strike No. 3 to Ashton Collings. While Collings was unable to connect on Schempp's bullet, Carter Bakken sent Erickson home off an error by Nold at shortstop to break the seal.

The Coyotes had runners on second and third when Sawyer Hanson stepped to the plate but Schempp delivered yet another strikeout before any more Coyotes crossed the plate.

Schempp ended his four and two-thirds innings with five strikeouts, allowing four runs off five hits.

Gage Orr made another clutch grab in the top of fourth when Schempp tossed him the ball to pick off Chase Brannin at second to send the Blue Jays to the bat.

After a scoreless Blue Jay fourth inning, Bakken unloaded the bases to make it 4-0 in the top of the fifth. The three-run dinger brought up a pitching change for the Blue Jays.

Brooks Roaldson threw the rest of the game allowing four hits, four walks and six earned runs.

"We've had good pitching all week honestly," Smith said. "We've been able to have kids go pretty deep into games and complete games so we actually felt pretty good coming in with the arms that we had.

"Schempp battled for us and then Brooks coming in -- it was a tough situation for him. He learned a lot I think, he did his best to get us out of that."

Gage Orr put the Jays on the board, scoring off a single by Mason Lunzman but the Coyotes responded with Bakken driving in three more in the sixth with a double. The Coyotes scored seven in the sixth frame and ended game No. 1 after six.

The Blue Jays' defense in game No. 2 came up much improved. Monson toed the rubber the opening four, allowing three hits and walking four. In the outfield, the Jays worked to cleanly field the Coyotes' flyouts and line drives to keep the score at 2-0 until the final two innings.

"There were obviously some errors and plays we wish we could have had back but I don't think we played bad, they just had four double plays and those will kill an inning," Smith said. "We had a lot of runners left on base, we couldn't get that timely hit and that was kind of the difference I think."