Jimmies wrap up fall season with win over VCSU

Payton Smith (SO/Snohomish, WA), Alex Tolbert (SO/Santa Clara, CA), and Hayden Brown (JR/Buckeye, AZ) each hit solo home runs in helping the University of Jamestown baseball team to a 5-4 win over Valley City State (N.D.) University Monday evening at Jack Brown Stadium.

The Jimmies finish the fall portion of their schedule at 5-1 while the Vikings fall to 2-4.

Smith's homer in the bottom of the first tied the game for UJ, and Tolbert followed wth another game-tying homer in the bottom of the second to make it 2-2.

Kendall Yackley (SR/Lynnwood, WA) followed Tolbert with a walk and moved to third after a double by Triston Madison (SO/Post Falls, ID). With Hayden Brown at the plate, two passed balls by the VCSU catcher allowed Yackley and courtesy runner Alex Alva (SO/Littleton, CO) to come home and put the Jimmies ahead 4-2.

Brown led off the bottom of the fourth with UJ's third solo shot of the game, increasing the lead to 5-2. The Vikings pushed home a pair of runs in the top of the seventh to make it a one-run game, and had the bases loaded with just one out. Brown, who had entered n relief of Eric Kessler (SO/Dallas, OR), got pinch-hitter Judson Seliskar to hit into an inning-ending double play and get out of the jam.

Luke Zimmer (FR/Velva, ND) (3-0) allowed one run on three hits over four innings of relief to get the win. Zimmer struck out four batters and walked one. Brown worked the final 2 2/3 innings, striking out three to earn his third save.

Tolbert went 2-for-4 at the plate while Chase Burke (SO/Minot, ND) and Jordan Singleton (SO/East Wenatchee, WA) also had hits.

Jamestown won for the 24th time in 26 tries at home against the Vikings dating back to 2007.