DICKINSON – There was such promise for a strong postseason for Jamestown Jimmies Baseball, but another tough loss in the conference tournament has likely ended those hopes.
Dean Samuel drove in his fourth run of the game with an RBI single in the bottom of the ninth inning Friday as La Sierra University, in its first postseason win in program history, edged Jamestown 4-3 in an elimination game of the NSAA Baseball Championship at Dakota Community Bank & Trust Ballpark.
Gavin Copeland led off the inning for La Sierra (20-19) with a single. Jimmies’ reliever Ben Bohlmann (2-4) then hit Christian Navarro with a pitch. With one out, Bohlmann then hit Bobby Benavidez. Samuel lined an 0-1 pitch into shallow center field, where a diving Chase Burke just missed a catch and Trevor Smentek came home with the winning run.
Ryan Muizelaar gave Jamestown (32-18) a 1-0 lead with an RBI single in the top of the first, but then was caught stealing, the first of several Jimmies’ mistakes on the bases.
The next two came in the top of the second. With Dallas Cummins at second and one out, Ben Patton hit a ground ball to short. Cummings kept running and was easily thrown out at third by the Golden Eagles’ Stephen Chavez. Landon Runge singled, sending Patton to third. But with Sy Steele at bat, Patton was caught stealing in a rundown between first and second.
Copeland started the La Sierra third with a single. Smentek, running for him, stole second, but Avery Liestman delievered a strikeout and a fly out for two down. With first base open, Jamestown elected to intentionally walk Benavidez and Samuel made the Jimmies pay with his first collegiate home run, a three-run shot to left center.
Another misplay on the bases cost the Jimmies on the fourth, as Cummins was thrown out at third base on a Ben Patton single. Muzielaar, who had been on third base, could not score in time before Cummins was thrown out.
Jamestown came within 3-2 in the fifth on another RBI single by Muizelaar.
In the sixth, the Jimmies had second and third with nobody out with the aid of a La Sierra error, but managed just one run on an RBI groundout by Landon Runge.
Liestman pitched seven and two-thirds innings, giving up three runs and eight hits with seven strikeouts and a walk. Bohlmann took his second loss in as many days.
Jamestown, who has lost its last six games, now must wait until Tuesday, when the NAIA tournament field will be revealed, to see if there is a chance for an at-large bid.