Warren native and Jamestown relief pitcher Ryan Rafalski (4) high fives Tarp Skunks catcher Dan Maglio after an inning at Diethrick Park on Friday. Times Observer Photo by Scott Kindberg

JAMESTOWN, N.Y. — Johnny Kampes hadn’t been hitting his weight in the early portion of the Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League season.

But the popular second-year player came up huge Friday night, delivering a two-run single in the bottom of the eighth inning that gave Jamestown some much-needed breathing room en route to a 9-6 victory over Auburn at Diethrick Park.

The win improved the Tarp Skunks’ record to 8-4, good for third place in the West Division. They’ll look to make it three straight wins tonight when they entertain Elmira. First pitch is at 6:30 p.m.

Continued offensive contributions from Kampes will be welcomed.

Entering last night, he had just two hits in the first 2¢ weeks of the campaign, but after Henry Martinez led off the inning with a single, one out later, Will Dorrell reached on an infield single. Cody Bey then drew a two-out walk, sending Kampes to the plate with the bases loaded against Doubledays’ reliever Jacob Kocuba.

This time Kampes delivered, singling to right-center field, which plated Martinez and Dorrell. Bey scored on a throwing error, which allowed Kampes to take second.

It also allowed Tarp Skunks’ manager Jordan Basile to take a deep breath.

At one point, Jamestown led 6-1, courtesy of a six-run second inning, highlighted by three walks, a hit batter, a fielding error, a double by Padraig O’Shaughnessy, an RBI single by Julian Thompson and a two-run infield single by Yogi Hartigan.

Armed with a five-run lead, Tarp Skunks’ starter and winner, Patrick DeMarco (2-0) kept Auburn in check, yielding two runs and three hits in five innings of work. He struck out four and walked three. Warren native Ryan Rafalski came on in relief and worked the sixth and seventh innings, surrendering two runs, striking out three, walking one and giving up five hits, although two of them never left the infield grass.

Nathan Smith was called on to pitch the final two innings. He gave up two runs, issued three walks and threw three wild pitches, but he buckled down after issuing two free passes to start the ninth with a strikeout, a popup and a groundout to end the game and earn the save.

Martinez and O’Shaughnessy both had two hits for the Tarp Skunks.

Andrew Tan and Zane Roos had two apiece for Auburn (6-6).