“I love this team!” he bellowed to no one in particular. “Let’s gooooooooo!”

The Tarp Skunks have reason to be excited.

For the second straight night, they pounded the ball from start to finish, rolling to an 18-6 mercy-rule victory over Niagara in a Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League contest.

The win raised the Tarp Skunks’ record to 26-12 and within one Jamestown victory, or Geneva loss, of securing a postseason berth.

Times Observer Photo by Scott Kindberg Jamestown starting pitcher Ryan Bradarich delivers to the plate Thursday evening.

“I think that was the best game we’ve had all year,” Manager Jordan Basile said. “This was pretty good.”

Twenty-four hours after hammering Newark, 19-2, Jamestown showed no mercy against the Power, collecting 18 hits, capped by Luke Turner’s infield single that scored the final run in the decisive seven-run bottom of the seventh inning.

“That was a game of adrenaline,” Basile said.

The Tarp Skunks sure were pumped up.

Mark Tucker (double, triple) had three hits and drove in five runs; Justin Bailey (double) had three hits and two RBIs; and Danny Hosley added three hits and drove in a run. Adding two hits apiece were Turner, Padraig O’Shaughnessy, DiMaggio Cazares (double) and Justin Bowers (triple), while Cory Blackburn and Chase Carlson both had two RBIs.

That offensive explosion was more than enough for starter Ryan Bradarich (4-1), who worked five innings before giving way to Evan Harrison, who pitched two scoreless innings.

“We carried what we did last night into tonight, and these guys stepped it up in a big spot,” Basile said. “Just when you think we might stop hitting, we kept hitting. It was pretty cool to see.”

Last night was also the first game without Haiden Hunt, who had a family obligation and is done for the rest of the season. In his place, Basile inserted Bailey, both in center field and in the leadoff spot in the batting order.

It paid immediate dividends.

“Haiden hit .351 on the year and had (22) stolen bases, but we put JB right in there, he went into center field and he also swung a heck of a bat. We didn’t miss a beat. We’re going to miss Haiden, but it was pretty amazing how these guys stepped up. That was the definition of ‘next man up.'”

Aaron Greenfield had two hits, including a triple, and drove in four runs for the Power (16-23), while teammates Noah Marcello and Casey Sauke had two singles and a double, respectively. Dylan Steen (1-5) took the loss.

Niagara, who cut the deficit to 7-6 after 3 1/2 innings, didn’t score the rest of the way, while the Tarp Skunks didn’t take their foot off the gas.

“We’re getting hot at the right time,” Basile said. “There’s not better time to get hot.”

Jamestown is back in action tonight when it travels to Batavia (19-17). The Tarp Skunks return home Saturday for a 7 p.m. game, also against Batavia.