Jamestown’s Nate Johnson follows through on a second-inning RBI single during the Tarp Skunks’ 2-0 nonleague victory over Olean on Thursday at Diethrick Park. It would end up being Jamestown’s lone hit in the game. P-J photo by Matt Spielman

Before taking over as head baseball coach at SUNY Fredonia, Jordan Basile recruited Nate Johnson to Jamestown Community College.

It turned out to be the right decision.

All Johnson did this spring was lead the Jayhawks in hits, batting average, on-base plus slugging, and extra-base hits.

Basile made another recruiting pitch to the Lakewood resident on Monday, just three days before Jamestown opened its Perfect Game College Baseball League season.

Let’s just say Basile, the Tarp Skunks manager, is batting 1.000 when it comes to evaluating Johnson’s worth on the diamond.

Nate Johnson smiles as he heads back to first base. P-J photo by Matt Spielman

All the Southwestern Central School graduate did Thursday was drill a run-scoring single in the second inning — Jamestown’s lone hit of the game — steal a base and make two putouts and five assists defensively to spark the Tarp Skunks to a 2-0 nonleague victory over Olean at Diethrick Park on Thursday night.

“We knew Nate was a great player,” Basile. “I never had any doubts. … We lost a couple guys and the first guy I thought I’d call would be Nate Johnson. Nate stepped in and didn’t miss a beat, I’ll tell you that much. …. He did a really good job.”

Added Johnson, who started at second base: “I felt confident going in there. I knew I had a lot of guys around me to pick me up if anything went wrong. The good thing was nothing went wrong. I had some plays and had a hit.”

While Jamestown’s offense was hardly operating at peak efficiency — Johnny Kampes’ sacrifice fly in the third inning was the only other run the hosts could muster — its pitching was stellar. Starter and winner Ian Korn, and relievers Eddie Galatas, Warren, Pennsylvania’s Ryan Rafalski and Eric Crouse, who was credited with the save, limited the Oilers to four hits and combined for 10 strikeouts.

“Saw some great things from the pitchers,” Basile said. “We’re confident we’re going to pitch it well all year long. The bats will come around. It’s the first game of the year. I think a lot of the guys … haven’t swung wood in a while and it takes a while to get it going. We’re confident they’ll get it going.”

Jamestown Tarp Skunks starting pitcher Ian Korn delivers to the plate during the first inning of a nonleague game against the Olean Oilers on Thursday at Diethrick Park. P-J photo by Matt Spielman

The game featured plenty of talent from western New York and northwestern Pennsylvania.

In addition to Rafalski, who walked one and induced a double-play groundball in his hitless outing, Warren’s Ben Berdine and Michael Grosch saw action for Olean, which plays in the New York Collegiate Baseball League. Berdine, one of seven Oilers’ pitchers, worked two-thirds of an inning, struck out two and walked one; and Grosch, the starting third baseman, walked in his four plate appearances. Kennedy native Matthew Gullotti also saw time out of the Olean bullpen, issuing a walk and registering a strikeout in two-thirds of an inning.

“There were a ton of local guys,” Basile said. “It just shows the kind of talent in this area.”

On opening night, it was Johnson’s time to shine. In the stands to take it all in were Nelson and Melissa, Johnson’s parents.

“My mom gave me a big hug after the game,” Johnson said with a smile.

It was clear that one of the newest members of the team more than “embraced” the opportunity in his Tarp Skunks’ debut.

Jamestown will be back in action today when it travels to Niagara Falls for a 5:30 p.m. game at Sal Maglie Stadium. The scheduled starting pitcher is Pat DeMarco, who hails from Los Angeles. DeMarco is the nephew of area residents Christine and Tom Yocum.

NOTES: Participating in the pregame ceremonies were three Chautauqua County residents — Art Asquith of Cassadaga, New York, Roger MacTavish of Jamestown and John Venable of Gerry, New York — who are veterans of the Jamestown-Olean PONY League battles in the 1950s. Asquith, 93, was a pitcher/outfielder for Olean in 1953. A retired teacher and coach, Asquith worked in the Cassadaga Valley Central School District for 50 years; MacTavish, 88, was a catcher for Olean in 1954 and 1955. A retired basketball referee, he officiated games for 65 years; and Venable was a pitcher for the Jamestown Falcons in 1955. An Arkansas native, he married a Jamestown girl and made this area his home. He is a retired contractor.