Tanner Roundy (SR/Henderson, NV)’s (uj.edu) grand slam in the top of the eighth capped off a five-run rally as the University of Jamestown baseball team defeated Northwestern (Iowa) 9-6 Saturday afternoon at Jack Brown Stadium.
The Jimmies (34-16) won the Jamestown bracket of the GPAC Baseball Postseason Tournament and will advance to face Concordia (Neb.) Tuesday night in Seward, Neb., for the conference championship. Game time is set for 6 p.m.
Concordia’s victory against Doane in the championship game of the Concordia Bracket also gave Jamestown the GPAC’s second automatic qualifier for the NAIA Opening Round later this month. Since the Bulldogs won the GPAC regular season title and qualified for the postseason championship game, the team that finished second in the regular season standings also qualifies for the opening round.
Roundy’s blast was the only hit in the inning for Jamestown, which had three batters reach via walk and one hit by pitch.
Grant Okawa (JR/Mississauga, ON) and Roundy staked the Jimmies to a 2-0 lead with run-scoring hits in the second and third innings, respectively. Morningside answered with one run in the bottom of the third, then tied the game in the next inning on a wild pitch by Dakota Nelson (SR/Dallas, OR).
Matt Meraz (JR/Aurora, CO) homered with one out in the top of the sixth to put Jamestown back in front 4-2. The Red Raiders responded with a pair of runs their next time at the plate to tie the game at four.
Austin Pesicka (JR/West Linn, OR) (4-1) earned the win with 2 1/3 innings in relief of Nelson. The UJ starter went 5 2/3 innings, allowing four runs on eight hits, seven of which were singles. Kaleb Binstock (SR/Grand Forks, ND) recorded the final three outs after the Mustangs pushed home two runs in the bottom of the ninth to make it 9-6.
Roundy, Meraz, Okawa, and Jaden Yackley (SR/Lynnwood, Wash.) all had two-hit games. Chase Hacker (JR/Millcreek, WA) and Drake Pilat (SR/Winnipeg, MB, Canada) had Jamestown’s other two hits. The Jimmies were not retired in order once during the game, getting at least one runner on base in all nine innings.
