Jamestown Tarp Skunks second baseman Nate Johnson fields a groundball during Wednesday’s PGCBL game against the Batavia Muckdogs at Diethrick Park in Jamestown. OBSERVER Photo by Matt Spielman

JAMESTOWN — With two outs in the bottom of the eighth inning Wednesday night, Johnny Kampes came to bat for the Jamestown Tarp Skunks.

Before stepping into the batter’s box, the Goldey-Beacom College catcher tipped his helmet to the crowd seated behind the Jamestown dugout along the third-base line at Diethrick Park.

After stepping into the box, Kampes called timeout and stepped out again, this time saluting the entire crowd on the east side of Jamestown.

The moment wasn’t necessarily just for the fans, it was for Kampes, too.

The second-year Tarp Skunks’ catcher struck out on a pitch in the dirt, but sprinted to first base, getting thrown out by a half-step to end the frame.

Kampes’ final at-bat in Jamestown wasn’t his best, but it will likely be his most memorable.

The first-place Batavia Muckdogs beat the Tarp Skunks 6-1 to eliminate Jamestown (21-22) from the Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League playoff picture with a pair of road games left on the schedule.

“They did a bunch for me that I can probably never repay,” Kampes said postgame when asked about the fans. “I just wanted to thank them.”

Like a lot of nights the last couple of weeks, a win Wednesday just wasn’t in the cards for the Tarp Skunks, but it wasn’t for a lack of trying.

Batavia (28-14) starting pitcher Alex Hale (1-0), a Niagara County Community College product, threw six innings of three-hit ball, allowing just a first-inning run while striking out five.

“I’m not going to make excuses, we didn’t play well,” said shortstop Mark Tucker, who with Kampes, Padraig O’Shaughnessy and Ryan Rafalski, was a two-year Tarp Skunk. “Losing guys didn’t help, but ultimately we just didn’t get it done down the stretch.”

The Muckdogs scored all of the runs they would need in the first inning off Jamestown starter Travis Perry (4-4).

Josh Leadem led off with a single and the next pitch Perry threw hit Kyle Corso. Tyler Cannoe followed with an RBI single and Trey Bacon reached on an error to plate Corso before Cannoe scored the third run of the inning on a balk.

“We had a rough start tonight,” said Tarp Skunks head coach Jordan Basile. “I give credit to a lot of these guys who are still here. I think we had three or four guys on the field tonight who were hurt. … Although the outcome wasn’t a win, at the end of the day it was a great group of guys who competed until the last pitch.”

Henry Martinez led off the Tarp Skunks’ half of the first with a single, stole second, went to third on a groundout and scored on Cody Bey’s sacrifice fly to center field.

In Batavia’s second inning, Caleb Rodriguez singled with one out, went to second on another balk, advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on a two-out error.

Evan Harrison relieved Perry in the fifth inning and gave up two runs before settling down for his final four innings. Leadem greeted Harrison with a triple and Corso hit an RBI single before Bacon hit a sacrifice fly later in the inning.

Anthony Sullivan threw the final three innings for the Muckdogs, striking out three while retiring the Tarp Skunks in order.

“The guys stuck it out and put their heart and soul into this,” Kampes said. “The fact that we still had a shot at the playoffs this late in the season with what we had left was pretty amazing.”

Jamestown CC product and Southwestern graduate Nate Johnson hit a dribbler to third base and was thrown out by inches at first to end the game. The Tarp Skunks then saluted the fans with several tips of the hat before retreating to their clubhouse for the final time this summer.

“I think this is something (Kampes, Tucker, O’Shaughnessy and Rafalski) will remember forever,” Basile said. “There were a few people in the stands saying Johnny is the mayor of Jamestown. … He embraced the experience here. That’s what it’s all about at the end of the day.”

“It was an awesome experience with the community and the guys. I couldn’t ask for a better two seasons of summer ball,” Tucker added. “It was the most fun I’ve had playing baseball.”

NOTES: The third-place Auburn Doubledays (24-20) beat the Niagara Power 1-0 in another game with playoff implications. Jamestown travels to Newark today for a 7:05 p.m. game today and Elmira for a 7 p.m. game Friday.

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