Not exactly the way Tatar wanted to start.

He did strike out the next batter, Alex Glassock, looking, but Dominick Zangardi singled to center and, before many of the fans at Diethrick Park had settled into their seats, the right-hander from the University of Connecticut found himself in a bit of a pickle.

And given he was the owner of an earned-run average just shy of 12.00 in his first four appearances this season, one had to wonder how long of a leash Tarp Skunks head coach Joe Reitebach was going to have.

As it turned out, it was a long one.

Times Observer photo by Scott Kindberg Jamestown’s Anthony Trommer, left, slides safely into home plate just ahead of the tag of Niagara Falls pitcher Colin Price as home plate umpire John Frey prepares to make the call during Saturday’s Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League contest at Diethrick Park.

On merit.

Tatar (1-1) worked out of that first-inning jam without any damage and ended up hurling a gem. In seven innings and 104 pitches, he scattered six hits, struck out five and walked four to lead Jamestown to an 8-2 victory over the Americans.

“It was his best outing of the year,” Reitebach said.

The win, which he also described as the team’s best of the season, improved the Tarp Skunks’ record to 13-6 heading into Sunday’s game at Auburn (see recap at the bottom of this story).

All told, Jamestown collected 11 hits, including three by Anthony Trommer and two apiece by Eric Weeks, Nate Muncy and Caleb Jordan. Of those 11 base knocks, three were doubles (one each by Muncy, Trommer and James Dixon) and one was a two-run triple by Joaquin Rodriguez-Costa.

Times Observer photo by Scott Kindberg Jamestown catcher Heath Fetchik catches a popup in foul territory during Saturday’s Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League contest against Niagara Falls at Diethrick Park.

“A lot of loud barrels,” Reitebach said.

That’s nothing new for Weeks, who continued his outstanding season by driving in three runs to improve his RBI total to 22 in 16 games; pushing his batting average to .419; and, by virtue of swiping two more bases, raising his total in that category to 15.

“Eric is just super dependable,” Reitebach said. “In the field we know we can put him in multiple positions. There’s good slot flexibility with him in the lineup.”

The game was tied 1-1 after three innings — Niagara Falls’ Cooper Rowell and Jamestown’s Muncy both had sacrifice flies in that frame — before the Tarp Skunks took the lead for good on Weeks’ two-run single to left in the fifth.

Armed with a 3-1 lead, Jamestown tacked on an insurance run in the seventh on another single by Weeks and then blew the game open in the eighth, highlighted by Rodriguez-Costa’s line-drive, two-run triple to right and Trommer’s RBI single to left.

Collin Pence and Chase Beran worked an inning apiece in relief of Tatar. Together, the trio allowed eight hits, struck out seven and walked five.

Aiden Mroz (0-1) took the loss for the Americans (8-11). Offensively, teammates Harris and Zangardi both had two hits, while teammate Miguel Salcedo added a triple.

SUNDAY

AUBURN, N.Y. — Jamestown broke a 3-3 tie against Auburn with a five-run eighth inning, earning an 8-3 victory in Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League action on Sunday.

Grant Moore tripled to plate Anthony Trommer for the lead and one big swing from Nolan Smith put the Tarp Skunks up 5-3. Auburn could not stop the bleeding as Jamestown added another two runs via RBI walks by Branston Lindquist and Tito Kiefer.

Auburn had a mountain to climb in the bottom of the eighth, but was unable to even muster just one run against Chase Beran in relief. Beran struck out all three batters to secure the victory for the Tarp Skunks.

Earning the win for Jamestown was Collin Pence who came in for relief of Eli Bryant, working three innings and giving up just three hits and striking out two batters.

Jamestown scored its first three runs in the fourth inning courtesy of an RBI single by Nate Muncy and Caleb Jordan followed up with a two RBI triple.

Zach Muir suffered the loss for Auburn (13-7) as he struggled to get out of the eighth inning, giving up four earned runs on four hits and three walks.

Jamestown (14-6) is back in action on Tuesday at Olean.