By Ryan Mikkelson, University of Jamestown Sports Information Director

Lincoln Trujillo (SR/Cheyenne, WY) was 3-for-3 with a pair of home runs and four RBI while Dirk Eymundson (SO/Parkland County, AB, Canada), Chase Hacker (SR/Millcreek, WA), and Ben Pedigo (JR/Olympia, WA) also homered as the University of Jamestown baseball team opened its fall schedule with a 13-5 win over Valley City State (N.D.) University Wednesday evening at Jack Brown Stadium.

Trujillo’s second long ball of the game, a three-run shot, came in the Jimmies’ five-run fourth inning that saw them take a 7-3 lead.

The Vikings scored single runs in the fifth and sixth innings to get within 7-5, but Pedigo connected on a three-run homer to left to extend UJ’s advantage to 10-5.

VCSU jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first against Jimmie starter Andy Reed (SR/Woodinville, WA). A groundout by JT Reed and a sacrifice fly by Alex Guiterrez accounted for the first two runs. Reed left after pitching 3 1/3 innings and allowing three runs on six hits, walking two and striking out two.

Mitchell Dennis (FR/Okotoks, AB, Canada) (1-0) earned the win with 2 2/3 innings of relief. He allowed two runs on three hits, striking out four and walking one.

Aaron Pugh (SR/Boissevain, MB, Canada) worked a scoreless seventh and eighth before Austin Pesicka (SR/West Linn, OR) needed just 12 pitches to finish the ninth.

Eymundson, Hacker and Pedigo all finished with a pair of hits. Kendall Yackley (SO/Lynnwood, WA), Tayler Cullen (JR/Santa Rosa, Calif.), Matt Meraz (SR/Aurora, CO), and Dylan Dudley (JR/Cottage Grove, OR) also recorded hits.

Chase Feller was 3-for-5 to lead the Vikings. Marcus Niemann (0-1) took the loss, giving up four runs on two hits in a third of an inning. Each of the seven VCSU pitchers the Jimmies faced allowed at least one run.

Next up for the Jimmies is a single nine-inning game against Mayville State (N.D.) University on Tuesday, September 17. First pitch is set for 4 p.m.

NOTES: Trujillo homered twice in a game for the second time in his career (April 20, 2019 vs. Morningside)…UJ improved to 52-3 against VCSU in their last 55 meetings…Reed made his first career start as a Jimmie after 22 appearances out of the bullpen in the spring…Jamestown is now 24-4 in fall games since beginning fall ball in September 2016…Wednesday’s five home runs were the most in a game for the Jimmies since they clubbed six in an 11-9 win over Morningside on April 20, 2019…Pugh’s outing was his longest scoreless stint as a Jimmie.