VALLEY CITY, N.D. (uj.edu) — The University of Jamestown baseball team jumped out to an early 5-1 lead Monday evening, holding on for an 8-4 win over Valley City State (N.D.) University at Charlie Brown Field.
Tayler Cullen (JR/Santa Rosa, Calif.) singled in two runs in the top of the first, then a single by Brian Rice (JR/Vancouver, WA) and a VCSU error made it 4-1 in the top of the second.
Kendall Yackley (SO/Lynnwood, WA) homered with one out in the top of the third to push UJ’s lead to 5-1.
The Vikings made it a two-run game with a pair of runs in the bottom of the fifth.
Jamestown gave themselves a bit of breathing room in the top of the seventh thanks to a solo home run by Ben Pedigo (JR/Olympia, WA) and a two-run pinch-hit single by Braxton Hewitt (SO/Carrington, ND).
VCSU loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the eighth but only managed to get a single run across as Jimmie reliever Austin Pesicka (SR/West Linn, OR) was able to work out of a jam.
Pedigo, Yackley, and Lincoln Trujillo (SR/Cheyenne, WY) each had two hits for Jamestown. Chase Hacker (SR/Millcreek, WA) and Grant Okawa (SR/Mississauga, ON) also recorded hits.
Cameron Jenkins (JR/West Richland, WA) (1-0), the third of five UJ pitchers, pitched two innings of scoreless relief for the win. Mitchell Dennis (FR/Okotoks, AB, Canada) started and went four innings, allowing three runs on two hits with four walks and four strikeouts. Aaron Pugh (SR/Boissevain, MB, Canada) and Pesicka combined to allow an unearned run over the final three innings, striking out five.
Jamestown (2-1) hosts Mayville State (N.D.) Tuesday at Jack Brown Stadium. First pitch is set for 6 p.m.
