Jamestown (uj.edu) With the University of Jamestown baseball team trailing Northwestern (Iowa) 5-4 in the top of the fifth, Lincoln Trujillo (JR/Cheyenne, WY) hit a two-run, pinch-hit double to as the Jimmies retook the lead and went on to defeat the Red Raiders 9-6 Friday afternoon in the GPAC Baseball Postseason Tournament at Jack Brown Stadium.
The Jimmies (33-16) advanced to Saturday’s bracket championship game and will again face Northwestern (23-24) beginning at 12 p.m. A victory would send Jamestown to the postseason championship game on Tuesday with an opponent and site to be determined. Facing eliminaton, Northwestern stayed alive with a 10-5 win over Midland (Neb.) Friday night.
Zach Zurbrugg (SR/Bremerton, WA)’s RBI single in the top of the second put the Jimmies in front 1-0, and that lead grew to 4-0 in the top of the third. With one out, Tanner Roundy (SR/Henderson, NV) doubled, then Drake Pilat (SR/Winnipeg, MB, Canada) was hit by a pitch. Kaleb Binstock (SR/Grand Forks, ND) followed with a three-run home run to right field, his second of the postseason.
Northwestern scratched one run across in the bottom of the third, then took the lead with four runs in the bottom of the fourth. Two home runs and two walks helped spark the Red Raiders’ rally against Roundy. Roundy lasted just 3 2/3 innings in his shortest start of the season, allowing five earned runs on four hits.
Andrew Reed (JR/Woodinville, WA) (3-1) came on in relief of Roundy and went 4 1/3 innings, giving up one run on three hits. Joe Harris (SO/Recluse, WY) worked a scoeless ninth for his second save.
Matt Meraz (JR/Aurora, CO) had two of Jamestown’s eight hits. Binstock scored four runs, and reached base in all five of his plate appearances, walking four times in addition to his home run.
