JAMESTOWN, ND. (NewsDakota.com) – The University of Jamestown baseball team held off a late surge by the Vikings on Monday night at Jack Brown Stadium as the Jimmies defeated Valley City State, 5-4.

VCSU scored in the top of the first with two outs after Drew Nixon singled into center field to drive in Shane Nixon. UJ responded immediately, tying the game at one after Payton Smith hit a solo homer over the hedges in left field.

Valley took the lead back in the top of the second off a home run from Zach Veneman to make it 2-1 Vikings. Jamestown responded once again though as Alex Tolbert launched a ball to left field to tie the game. After a Kendall Yackley walk, Triston Madison picked up a ground-rule double to put runners at second and third with no outs.

With Hayden Brown at the plate, Jamestown scored back-to-back runs on passed balls by VCSU, allowing the Jimmies to go ahead 4-2. UJ extended the lead to 5-2 in the fourth inning after Brown hit a solo home run.

Jamestown held a 5-2 lead until Valley scored twice in the seventh inning. The Vikings had the bases loaded with just one out when Brown entered the game in relief and induced a 4-6-3 double play to get out of the jam and keep the Jimmies in front.

Brown would get another inning-ending double play in the eighth before striking out two of the three batters he faced in the ninth to get the save and the Jimmies a victory. Luke Zimmer threw four innings in relief to earn the win. He gave up just one earned run.

For VCSU, Dustin Mertz was handed the loss after going five innings and allowing seven hits and five earned runs. Out of the bullpen, Luke Resnick went three shutout frames and struck out six Jimmie batters. Valley totaled 12 hits on the night, led by Shane Nixon who was 3-for-5 with two runs scored.

Jamestown finished with five runs on seven hits and one error defensively. UJ wraps up its fall season with a 5-1 overall record and the Jimmies have now won 24 of the last 26 games against VCSU at Jack Brown Stadium.

Valley drops to 2-4 overall and will round out its fall season on Wednesday at home against Mayville State. First pitch is set for 5:00 PM.