Instead, the Krusaders walked off the field with their first loss of the Babe Ruth 13-15 World Series.

Jamestown flew out and grounded out with a pair of runners on base in the bottom of the seventh inning as Opp, Alabama picked up its first victory of the tournament 8-7 at Diethrick Park.

Both teams moved to 1-1 in the crowded American Division where Eau Claire, Wisconsin is also 1-1.

Torrance, California is 1-0, but has played just one game while Broomall Newtown, Pennsylvania is 0-1 after also playing just one game.

Jamestown Krusaders shortstop Blake Herman fires to first base against Opp, Alabama in Game 8 on Sunday. Times Observer Photo by Tim Frank

In other words: the division is up for grabs.

“I don’t think there’s going to be an undefeated team in this division,” Jamestown manager Shane Swan said. “If there is, we just need to figure out what we can do to get to the playoff round.”

The Krusaders led for much of the night, but lost their advantage with some uncharacteristic sloppy play.

Nash Luther relieved starter Chase Haglund to start the top of the fifth inning and registered two quick outs before a single and a walk. Luther then struck out Opp’s No. 8 hitter, but a wild pitch and a throwing error allowed two runs to score on the play. The next batter flew out, but the damage was done as the Southwest Region champions closed their deficit to 7-6.

“We had a couple of bad throws,” Swan said. “Obviously the strike three with the throw into right field that scored two runs … that one hurts.”

The Bobcats took the lead in their next trip to the plate. Opp’s Ron Tellefsen Player of the Game Cash Harrell singled up the middle before Porter Nelson doubled past Jamestown’s left fielder to put runners at second and third with one out.

Swan then made a mound visit to talk to Luther, but stuck with the right-hander. Opp’s next batter, Baylor Turman, made the Krusaders pay with a two-run go-ahead double to right-center field.

“Nash had done his job. It’s hard to pull a kid when he’s doing his job,” Swan said. “I stayed with him. The bounces didn’t go our way today.”

Branston Lindquist and Luther, who was named the Ron Tellefsen Player of the Game for Jamestown, picked up back-to-back singles with two outs in the bottom of the sixth inning, but Nelson induced a fly ball to get out of the frame.

In the bottom of the seventh, the Krusaders again got two runners on base — this time with just one out — but the top of the Jamestown lineup didn’t pick up the clutch hit it needed to walk off with the victory.

“Anytime you can get those guys to the plate with runners in scoring position, you feel good about your chances,” Swan said of his Nos. 1 and 2 hitters.

Opp led 1-0 in the first inning when Cam James led off with a single and eventually scored on a steal of home as the Krusaders threw out a runner stealing second.

Jamestown exploded for four runs in its half of the first inning on five consecutive singles from Blake Herman, Ashton Putney, Lindquist, Luther and Matt Cowan, but the Krusaders were unable to string that many hits together late when they needed them for the comeback.

“I know these guys. These guys hit. Hitting is contagious,” Swan said. ” … We started hot with the bats. Their pitchers did a great job of slowing us down and doing what they needed to do to beat us.”

Jamestown will take on Eau Claire at 5 p.m. today — the start times of all of today’s games were moved up two hours with rain in the nighttime forecast. Opp has its off day before taking on Torrance on Tuesday at 4:30 p.m.

“We had a couple of plays that aren’t characteristic of us,” Swan said. “That’s baseball.”

NOTES: Haglund singled and scored twice; Herman singled, tripled and drove in a run; Lindquist had two hits and two RBIs; Luther had three hits; and Eli Snyder doubled, singled and drove in a run for Jamestown. … Haglund struck out three in the first four innings on the mound. … James had two hits, two RBIs and a run scored; Harrell had two hits, an RBI and a run scored; Turman had two hits, including his two-run double; Will Jackson had two hits and a run scored; Dawson Cox had two hits and a run scored; and Talan Wicker had two hits for Opp. … Harrell threw 3 1/3 innings with just one strikeout on the mound.