SIOUX FALLS, SD – For the second straight day, University of Jamestown Baseball settled for a split of a doubleheader with Mayville State at The Diamonds at the Sanford Sports Complex. Chris Shopbell hit a go-ahead two-run single in the top of the seventh inning to give the Comets a 4-2 win in the first game. Two four-run innings by the Jimmies broke open what had been a tight second game and Jamestown won 12-2 in eight.
Game 1: Mayville State 4, Jamestown 2 (7)
The combination of great defense by Mayville State (11-16, 3-4 NSAA) and baserunning lapses by Jamestown (23-10, 4-3) led to the Jimmies losing four runners on the bases. There were two line-drive double plays, one runner was thrown out at home and another was thrown out at second.
With one out, an error started the seventh inning rally for Mayville State against Ben Bohlmann (1-1). Zachary Evanochko singled, followed by a force out, before the go-ahead hit by Shopbell.
Ryan Muizelaar drove in both runs for Jamestown with a sacrifice fly and a single.
Starter Austin Shelton pitched four innings, allowing two runs and four hits with three strikeouts and a walk.
Calvin Watkins (3-3) pitched a complete game five-hitter for Mayville State.
Game 2: Jamestown 12, Mayville State 2 (8)
Alex Alva went 5-for-5 and Chase Burke and Landon Runge had three hits each as Jamestown (24-10, 5-3) knocked 17 hits overall.
Jamestown trailed Mayville State (11-17, 3-5) 1-0 before scoring three in the third. Runge tied the game with an RBI single, then Burke hit a line drive to center field. The Comets’ Carson Lundmark tried for a diving catch, but missed and the ball rolled to the wall, allowing Burke to circle the bases for a two-run inside-the-park home run.
Runge drew a bases-loaded walk for a 4-1 Jamestown lead in the third inning.
Mayville State was within 4-2 before the Jimmies widened their advantage in the sixth inning. Burke walked, then Alva and Muizelaar reached with bunt hits to load the bases. Varen Sabino hit a two-run single, then Triston Madison and Isaiah Roebuck followed with sacrifice flies and Jamestown took an 8-2 lead.
In the eighth, the Jimmies ended the game a little early by scoring four more runs. Julian Romero singled in one run, then Riki Okamoto plated two more with a single. Alva, completing a 7-for-7 day at the plate, hit an RBI single to end the game.
Ethan Petty (1-1) earned the win in relief. Entering the game with UJ leading 4-2 in the top of the fifth inning with first and second and nobody out, Petty induced a ground ball force out by Shopbell before Kevin Conway hit into a double play, the Jimmies’ third of the game.
Kai Mayfield worked the last three innings for his first save.
On Friday and Saturday, Jamestown will play rival VCSU in Valley City. Coverage will begin at 12:45 PM on Friday and 11:45 AM on Saturday on The Voice of the Jimmies, Jamestown 107.1.