A late Harrisburg home run lifts the Bulldogs past Jamestown

JAMESTOWN - With the No. 1 seed in the Class 1, District 9 Tournament established, the Eagles are working on staying mentally focused as they prepare for the single elimination tournament.

But it didn't work out Tuesday, falling 4-3 to Harrisburg in Jamestown's final game of the regular season.

"We started out with a couple of mental mistakes on the base paths," Jamestown coach Jordan Hoecker said. "Even defensively, not doing the right fundamentals and making a play. We made adjustments and kept in the game."

While the Eagles did make mental mistakes, Hoecker wasn't worried about where his team is mentally heading into the tournament. Jamestown will play the winner of Prairie Home and Bunceton on Monday, May 18 in the second round of the district tournament. The Eagles are 3-0 against the two teams this season.

"We have about a week of practice before our first game, and they're in a good place mentally," Hoecker said. "We just need to keep pushing through."

Jamestown struggled with timely hitting in its loss to the Bulldogs, stranding 10 runners on base, including five in the final two innings. The Eagles left the bases-loaded in the sixth inning, and grounded into a 5-2-3 double play with the bases-loaded to end the game in the seventh.

"We were in good positions, and in baseball, sometimes they fall and sometimes they don't," Hoecker said. "I like the fact that we were in position to win it."

While leaving several runners on base, the Eagles were in a good position to end the game in the top of the seventh. With the 2-1 lead, Garrett Wolfe was trying to finish off a complete-game. Instead, Blake Gipson sent a three-run home run over the right field fence to give Harrisburg the 4-2 lead.

Wolfe allowed four runs - three earned - on five hits while striking out six in 6 2/3 innings of work.

"(Wolfe) has to start out the hitters with more first-pitch strikes and stay ahead in the count," Hoecker said. "But at the end of the day, he kept us in it and we had a chance to win, so you can't ask for much more."

Cole Theissen led off the bottom of the seventh with a solo home run, cutting into the lead, then Wolfe was hit by a pitch. After a strike out, Colton DeVore singled to right field while Wolfe was in motion during a hit-and-run. That allowed Wolfe to advance to third, and DeVore took second on the throw.

After an intentional walk to load the bases, the Bulldogs escaped with the double play to end the game.

While Theissen usually bats in the bottom of the order, he was 3-for-4 from the plate in the number two spot of the lineup to lead the offense.

"He did a great job," Hoecker said. "I think where he's at with all our guys; it's a nice and balanced lineup. We can score from anywhere in the lineup, but he did a good job filling in today."

With the seniors gone on a Florida trip, Hoecker had to play a number of new, young guys.

Theissen moved from his normal right field position to second base, performing well. Brandon Thompson played left field, moving Wyatt Hunziker to right, and Jacob Gerlach played center field. Austin Maslen played first base, recording a hit in the contest.

"It's good for them," Hoecker said. "We got a little glimpse of next year and I thought the guys filled in nicely. "(Cole) did a good job, knocking the ball down and making the plays when he needed to. They weren't always pretty, but he got the job done."

With Harrisburg leading 1-0, Colton DeVore homered in the fourth, a two-run shot that easily cleared the left-center field fence to give the Eagles a 2-1 lead.

"He's been seeing the ball really well," Hoekcer said. "We made a couple of adjustments with his mechanics, and it's doing pretty well."

Jamestown out-hit the Bulldogs 9-5, with the one through seven spots in the lineup recording at least one hit.

The Eagles will now wait and see whom their second-round matchup is with, Monday at 4:30 p.m. in St. Elizabeth.