Five errors leading to 10 unearned runs will tend to irk any manager.

“Today,” Jagoda said, “it just kind of spiraled and we couldn’t get out of it.”

Opportunistic Batavia took full advantage of the Tarp Skunks’ misadventures in the field as well as a big effort from clean-up hitter Justin Espinal to post a 12-4 Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League victory over Jamestown.

The win, which was credited to starter Jaden Sherwood (1-1), improved the Muckdogs to 11-7 while the Tarp Skunks dropped to 9-9.

Jamestown shortstop Brady Marshall collects a groundball against Batavia in PGCBL action at Diethrick Park on Monday. P-J photo by Scott Kindberg

“The defensive issues have haunted us pretty much all season, and it’s not a lack of ability, it’s a lack of focus. It’s a lack of sheer … wanting the baseball,” Jagoda said. “We need to do a better job as a group of ‘willing’ the baseball to you, wanting to be the guy to get the groundball to get us out of an inning, wanting to be the guy up in a big spot, and being the pitcher that comes into a game with runners on second and third and doing your job.”

Alas, that didn’t happen often enough on a hot and muggy night before 1,016 fans.

The Muckdogs scored runs in six of the nine innings, including three in each of the third, fifth and eighth frames. All of them were unearned. The big hits were Espinal’s long home run over the left-field fence in the third; RBI singles by Tyler Castrataro and Espinal, and an RBI double by Braydon Horton in the fifth; and an RBI single by James Bolton in the eighth.

“(Espinal) hits in the middle of the order of a good team for a reason,” Jagoda said.

As it turned out, that was more than enough for Batavia. Sherwood worked six innings for the win before giving way to Evin Hollandsworth, Castrataro and Garrett Beaver, who pitched an inning apiece.

The Tarp Skunks’ scored a run in both the third and fourth innings and two more in the seventh, but grounded into three double plays that stymied potential big rallies. Sam Rickman (0-1), one of five Jamestown pitchers, took the loss.

Offensively, Jamestown was led by Falconer native Branston Lindquist, who had two hits, including a double, and an RBI; and Dom Costello, who also collected a pair of hits. Nathan Borchardt added a double.

“It’s probably pretty cool to be playing in front of hometown fans,” Jagoda said of Lindquist. “We trust Branston behind the plate, and he does a good job there.”

The Tarp Skunks are off today and then hit the road Wednesday to meet Niagara. Their next home game is Friday against Niagara Falls. First pitch is set for 6:30 p.m.

“We’re sitting at 9-9,” Jagoda said. “Everybody at the top (of the West Division) is within a game or two. I think our better baseball is ahead of us.”