Friday

College Baseball

At Joplin, Missouri

JOPLIN, Mo.  (uj.edu) — Back-to-back three-run innings in the fifth and sixth helped lead the University of Jamestown baseball team to a 7-1 victory over Culver-Stockton (Mo.) Friday in Joplin, Mo.

Leading 1-0 entering the top of the fifth, the Jimmies got an RBI single from Luke Shekeryk (JR/Seattle, WA) and a two-run double from Lincoln Trujillo (SR/Cheyenne, WY) to take a 4-0 lead.

Culver-Stockton answered with a single run in the bottom of the inning, then in the sixth UJ plated three more to go ahead 7-1. Dirk Eymundson (SO/Parkland County, AB, Canada) singled in Ben Pedigo (JR/Olympia, WA) with the first run, then was replaced by courtesy runner Nick Wrigg (SR/Helena, MT). Brian Rice (JR/Vancouver, WA) drew a walk to put runners at first and second. Wrigg and Rice executed a double steal to each advance a base, then one out later Grant Okawa (SR/Mississauga, ON) doubled to right field, scoring both runners.

Mitchell Dennis (FR/Okotoks, AB, Canada) (2-0) worked 4 2/3 innings for the win, giving up just one run on two hits. Andy Reed (SR/Woodinville, WA) struck out three over the final 2 1/3 innings.

Eymundson and Okawa both had two hits for UJ. Pedgo, Rice, and Tayler Cullen (JR/Santa Rosa, Calif.) also had base hits.

Jamestown faced a quality pitcher in Chris Wall of Columbia (Mo.) in Friday’s second game. The lefthander struck out 13 in six shutout innings of work, giving up just one hit in an 11-0 win.

The Cougars struck for three runs in the top of the first against UJ starter Kensaku Akiya (SR/Kawasaki, Japan) (0-1), then broke the game open with six more in the fourth.

Chase Hacker (SR/Millcreek, WA) and Dylan Dudley (JR/Cottage Grove, OR) had hits for the Jimmies, now 6-2 on the season.

Jamestown will play twice on Saturday, taking on William Penn (Iowa) University at 12 p.m. and Saint Mary (Kan.) at 2:30 p.m.