Times Observer Photo by Scott Kindberg Jamestown second baseman Mark Tucker is about to apply the tag on Niagara’s Channy Ortiz attempting to steal during the fourth inning of Monday’s PGCBL game at Diethrick Park in Jamestown, N.Y.

JAMESTOWN, N.Y. — The Jamestown Tarp Skunks weren’t hurt by base hits in the early stages of their Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League game against Niagara.

It was the other “hits,” however, that came back to bite them.

Charlie Nichols hit five of the 14 batters he faced, including three in a row in the decisive second inning, to help send the Power to a 12-2 victory over Jamestown before 840 fans at Diethrick Park.

Nichols, who survived the first inning without any damage despite hitting the first two batters he faced, couldn’t extricate himself from trouble in the second.

With two outs and runners at first and second, he plunked Nathan Manning, Noah Marcelo and Channy Ortiz in succession, and then Cole Gabrielson followed with a two-run single to stake the Power to a 4-0 lead.

That turned out to be enough as the Tarp Skunks (6-3) suffered their second straight setback and their second consecutive spotty pitching performance.

Niagara added a run in the top of the third, courtesy of Alex Greene’s RBI double off reliever Brandon Demmer, a half-inning after Jamestown had cut into the deficit on Anthony Badala’s run-scoring infield single. The Tarp Skunks trimmed the lead to 5-2 on Mark Tucker’s RBI triple in the fourth frame.

The score stayed that way until the top of the sixth when Greene scored all the way from second base on a wild pitch and Ortiz plated another run on a sacrifice fly. The Power then extended the lead in the seventh off Warren’s Ryan Rafalski, courtesy of Bryce Arnold’s three-run home run over the left-field wall to make the score, 10-2. The Power plated a run in the eighth following a leadoff double by Manning and a run-scoring single by Ortiz, and an unearned run in the ninth.

That was more than enough for the pitching quartet of Nick Partsch, Cameron Gallardo, Jack Schlotman and Ethan Hurte, who combined on a seven-hitter. Six of those hits came in the first four innings.

NOTES: Rafalski gave up five runs — four earned — six hits and struck out seven in his three innings of work. … Ortiz reached base four times and drove in three runs. … The Tarp Skunks will be back in action today when they travel to Niagara Falls for a twinbill. Their next home game will be Wednesday when they take on Batavia at 7 p.m.