Jamestown hosts 2026 Class B baseball and softball tournaments at McElroy Park

Jamestown turned McElroy Park into a two-tournament stage as the 2026 NDHSAA Class B baseball and softball state tournaments got underway May 28 and are running through May 30. The baseball tournament is being played at Jack Brown Stadium, 1102 3rd St. SE, and the softball tournament is at Lyle “Trapper” Lawrence Field, 4th Ave. and 14th St. SE, putting both events in town at the same time.

The baseball tournament manager is Jim Roaldson, Jamestown High School’s athletic director, a local name tied directly to the state meet’s organization. For Jamestown, the weekend is more than a bracket schedule. It brings players, coaches, officials, families and fans from across North Dakota into one of the city’s most visible athletic corridors, creating a steady flow of traffic for nearby restaurants, hotels and businesses while giving local families a chance to watch Class B baseball and softball without leaving town.

The setting carries weight because McElroy Park is not just a patch of fields. Jamestown Parks and Recreation says the park’s renovation work has included six new fields, bullpens, batting cages, parking, paths, seating and concessions. The Jack Brown Stadium upgrade has added new concessions, bathrooms, locker rooms and an all-turf field. Those improvements helped make a combined state-tournament weekend possible and gave Jamestown a showcase venue for a high-profile stretch of late-May competition.

Jack Brown Stadium also brings history to the event. North Dakota Tourism says the stadium was originally built in 1917, was once known as McElroy Park, and was rebuilt in 1992 after the original wooden stands burned in 1991. The same venue has carried legends through its gates, including Satchel Paige and Lefty Grove, giving this weekend’s games a direct link to the city’s baseball past.

The current field work also reflects a broader community effort. A 2022 renovation campaign brought together Jamestown Parks and Recreation District, Jamestown Area Youth Baseball, Jamestown Outlaw Fastpitch Softball, the University of Jamestown and Jamestown Public Schools to raise money for the project. That partnership now shows up in a weekend that places Jamestown at the center of North Dakota Class B baseball and softball, with McElroy Park serving as both a neighborhood facility and a statewide destination.