The Jamestown Tarp Skunks had a rollercoaster season in the Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League, finishing with a 19-25 record and a first-round exit in the playoffs. Despite hovering around the .500 mark all summer, the Tarp Skunks secured the No. 4 seed in the West Division, six games behind the second-place Elmira Pioneers and Auburn Doubledays, and a whopping 16 games behind the first-place Batavia Muckdogs, who dominated with a 34-8 record.
During the regular season, Jamestown showed some promise against the Muckdogs but ultimately fell short in the playoffs. Batavia went on to lose in the West Division final to Elmira, who then faced off against the East Division-champion Amsterdam Mohawks in the league title series.
Looking back at the statistics, Jamestown struggled offensively, finishing 12th out of 16 teams in runs scored with 202. Despite a respectable batting average of .258, the Tarp Skunks lacked power at the plate, with only 63 extra-base hits, including 55 doubles, five triples, and three home runs. Their slugging percentage of .310 was fourth worst in the league, highlighting their inability to generate runs through power hitting.
On the pitching side, Jamestown’s staff posted a 5.44 ERA, ranking them 10th in the league. While they did a decent job limiting hits with a .262 opponent batting average, their WHIP of 1.63 was subpar. The Tarp Skunks did show some strength in limiting home runs, tying for the best in the league with just two allowed, but they struggled with control, hitting 87 batters throughout the season.
Individually, Kobe Jones stood out as the team’s top hitter, finishing 12th in the league with a .341 batting average. Outfielder Henry Juan and Bobby Stang also contributed offensively, with Juan hitting .309 and Stang leading the team with 19 RBIs. On the mound, Gage Hayes was a standout performer, posting a 5-1 record with a stellar 1.92 ERA in eight starts.
Despite their struggles this season, the Tarp Skunks have had success in the past, with their worst record since joining the PGCBL in 2016. Under former management, the team enjoyed two successful seasons in 2017 and 2018, winning their division both years and making it to the league championship series. Since the takeover by Jamestown Community Baseball LLC in 2019, the Tarp Skunks have continued to be competitive, with playoff appearances in 2021 and 2023.
Overall, while the 2024 season may not have ended as the Tarp Skunks had hoped, the team has shown resilience and potential for future success. With a strong core of players and a history of competitiveness, Jamestown will look to bounce back and make a deeper playoff run in the seasons to come.
