From Jimmie Athletics

FAYETTE, Mo. (jimmiepride.com)– Luke Zimmer and two relievers combined on a seven-hit shutout as the Jimmie baseball team blanked No. 14 Central Methodist University 3-0 in the first game of Sunday’s doubleheader.

Xander Orejudos and Triston Madison had third-inning RBIs and Hayden Brown homered in the fourth to account for the UJ runs.

That would be all the offense Zimmer (4-0) would need. In his first collegiate start, Zimmer went 5 2/3 innings, allowing five hits and one walk while striking out one. Cade Torgerson came on in relief with runners on first and second to get the final out of sixth, and Eric Kessler worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the bottom of the seventh to earn the save.

Madison went 2-for-2 at the plate to lead the Jimmie offense. Orejudos doubled and Reece McKenzie and Alex Alva each had a stolen base.

In game two, with the score tied 2-2, Central Methodist scored twice in the bottom of the third and added three in the fifth for a 7-2 win.

Kendall Yackley hit a solo home run with one out in the second to cut the Eagle lead to 2-1. Chase Burke followed with a double to left, and Payton Smith singled to tie the game. UJ drew a pair of walks to load the bases with two outs, but were unable to score any more runs.

Connor Nipp (0-1) started for Jamestown and went the first 3 1/3 innings, giving up four runs on five hits.

Madison, Burke, and Smith each had two of the Jimmies’ nine hits.

UJ (7-3) will be in Tucson, Ariz., for the Tucson Invitational Games March 3-12.