Offensively, the Gowanda resident collected two hits and a sacrifice fly, drove in four runs, walked twice and stole a base.

Defensively, he was credited with four assists and one highlight-reel putout at third base. And, if celebrating a teammate’s home run counted for anything, the recent high school graduate would have received high marks for that, too.

It was that kind of evening for the reigning Post-Journal/OBSERVER Player of the Year. To be honest, it merely continued what has been a stellar month for one of the youngest players on the Tarp Skunks’ roster.

“He’s come in here right away and kind of solidified himself in our lineup at many positions,” Jamestown coach Frank Jagoda said. “What’s impressive about him is he plays the game hard and he plays it the right way. That’s the effort we need every single day.”

OBSERVER Photo by Scott Kindberg Jamestown Tarp Skunks third baseman Blake Herman fields a ground ball during Saturday’s 17-7 victory over Niagara.

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With the score knotted at 4-4 in the top of the fifth inning, the Ironbacks had runners at the corners with two outs against Tarp Skunks’ reliever Landon Castor. Niagara’s Andrew Bishop, who had already singled and smacked a two-run double in his first two plate appearances, was a true theat to give the Ironbacks the lead, but when he lofted a foul popup wide of third base, Herman sprang into action.

Upon locating the ball, he sprinted to the fence, leaned over the railing and made the acrobatic catch to end the threat and clearly change the momentum of the game.

“Thank god there’s a warning track there,” Herman said. “I looked back, looked at the fence, knew I had room, felt with my hand and kind of just leaned over and I grabbed it. Nothing really special.”

Jagoda begged to differ.

“That was a big play for us,” he said. “That was a play we needed at that spot. It stopped the bleeding.”

Herman came up big at the plate, too.

In the bottom of the fifth inning he had an RBI single to left that gave Jamestown the lead for good; capped a four-run outburst in the sixth with a two-run single to right; and then lofted a sacrifice fly to center in the seventh to help spark a five-run rally.

It’s that kind of versatility that has impressed Jagoda for years.

“I’ve seen Blake play for a long time,” he said. “He was an early (roster) addition last fall.”

Herman, who joined the Tarp Skunks about a month ago after leading Gowanda to the New York State Public High School Athletic Association final four, is certainly happy about playing in the PGCBL this summer.

“Skipper Frank Jagoda has been really, really cool,” he said, “and meeting all the guys from college … it’s just a lot different than Class C high school ball, I’ll tell you that. I’ve had to adjust really quickly. I know I’m a good player, but the game is at a faster pace now and, you know, I have to be ready for really anything.”

In 17 games through Saturday, Herman, who has also spent time playing left field, is hitting .302 (13 for 43) with one double, one triple and 12 RBIs. He has walked seven times, struck out nine times and sports an on-base percentage of .364.

“It’s no joke,” Herman said of the talent in the PGCBL. “You see guys throw 90 and then you see guys throwing 85 with a disgusting changeup. You’ve got to adjust quickly. I would rank it up there with the Cape Cod League. Obviously, Cape Cod is the best of the best, but (the PGCBL) is right up there. It’s still great baseball, and it’s going to prepare me for Canisius (University in the fall). I’m not coming in raw.”

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As the game was closing in on three and a half hours in length and the outcome all but determined, Joaquin Rodriguez-Costa — another recent high school graduate from Delaware — led off Jamestown’s bottom of the eighth inning by drilling a home run to right field.

Upon touching home plate, he was greeted by teammate Dom Costello before turning to jog toward the Tarp Skunks’ dugout. The first person he encountered on the way was — you guessed it — Herman. Simultaneously, the teammates jumped in the air and locked arms in celebration, the momentum nearly taking them both to the ground.

Clearly, Herman’s enthusiasm shows he feels right at home this summer.

“It’s been really nice,” he said. “Go play third, relax, make my plays, hit the baseball, win baseball games and that’s what we’re doing right now.”