From Jamestown Athletics
CRETE, Neb.– Isaiah Roebuck (FR/Marana, AZ)’s bases-clearing double highlighted a four-run third inning and Trei Hough (SO/Pocatello, ID) delivered seven superb innings on the mound as the University of Jamestown baseball team defeated Doane (Neb.) University 5-2 Saturday morning.
The fourth-seeded Jimmies (28-22) advance to the bracket championship on Monday at 12 p.m. while the top-seeded Tigers will play a loser-out game Saturday at 3 p.m. Doane defeated Morningside (Iowa) Saturday evening and will face UJ in Monday’s contest.
Tayler Cullen (SR/Santa Rosa, Calif.) reached on an error by the Doane first baseman with one out in the second, then stole second base and moved to third on a groundout. Reece McKenzie (FR/Gresham, OR) delivered a key two-out single to score Cullen for a 1-0 lead.
Doane countered with a single run in the top of the third, but the Jimmies quickly retook the lead in the bottom half. Quade Peters (FR/West Fargo, ND) led off with a single down the right field line and was sacrificed to second by Kendall Yackley (JR/Lynnwood, WA). Xander Orejudos (JR/Ellensburg, WA) singled and Tanner Shepard (SR/Grand Rapids, MN) walked to load the bases. Luke Shekeryk (SR/Seattle, WA) was hit by a pitch to force home Peters, then one out later, Roebuck doubled to left center, clearing the bases and giving UJ another two-out hit.
The Tigers added one run in the fifth, but were held off the board for the final four innings.
Hough (5-1) gave up one earned run on four hits over seven innings, striking out six and issuing just one walk. It was the second time in three starts Hough went seven innings, and third time in his last four outings he went six. Outside of a 3 1/3 inning start against DWU on April 28, Hough is 3-0 with a 0.45 earned run average in 20 innings, with one earned run allowed on 11 hits. Hayden Brown (JR/Buckeye, AZ) struck out three in the final two innings to record his fourth save.
Roebuck was 2-for-4 to lead the offense. Cullen and Blake Arritola (JR/Salem, OR) each recorded a stolen base.
Saturday’s win snapped a 10-game losing streak to Doane dating back to April 28, 2019.