The Louisville commit more than made up for it — almost immediately.

Slanker’s two-run triple in the bottom of the third inning gave Jamestown a 4-2 lead it would never relinquish as the Tarp Skunks clinched a spot in today’s Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League West Division final with a 12-2 win over the Americans at Diethrick Park.

Slanker finished 2 for 3 with a walk and five RBIs, later adding a bases-clearing three-run double to effectively put the game away.

“Any time Ben comes up to the plate, we’re excited to see him up there. He’s going to succeed more times than he’s not,” Jamestown manager Frank Jagoda III said. “Of course, I’m sure there was a little bit of a chip on his shoulder. He knows he made a mistake out there, but it was a physical mistake, not a mental error.”

OBSERVER Photo by Matt Spielman Niagara Falls pitcher John Ondus winds up during Tuesday’s PGCBL West Division semifinal at Diethrick Park.

The victory earned No. 2 Jamestown a rematch with No. 1 Batavia at 6:30 p.m. today at Dwyer Stadium after the Muckdogs beat No. 4 Auburn 6-1 in Tuesday’s other semifinal. Tonight’s game will take place in Genesee County because the Muckdogs beat the Tarp Skunks 4-1 in Sunday’s regular-season finale.

“It doesn’t matter to us who we play. I like us this week,” Jagoda said. ” … These guys have a chip on their shoulder. We’re looking forward to (today).”

With Christian Pencek on the mound Tuesday for Jamestown, it felt like just a couple of runs would be enough to advance.

The right-hander, who is transferring to the University of West Florida for his senior season, tossed seven innings of three-hit ball, allowing the two unearned runs while walking three and striking out four.

“Christian was great. He set the tone early,” Jagoda said. “He came out with a big zero to start. … It just sets the tone.”

Other than Niagara Falls’ error-aided two-run third inning, the only other frame during which Pencek allowed more than one baserunner came in the top of the fifth when he issued a pair of two-out walks. With relief available in the bullpen, Jagoda made a mound visit and elected to stay with Pencek.

“I just wanted to give him a break. That was his guy. We felt good about the matchup. … That’s a good hitter over there, Gavyn Boyle,” Jagoda said. ” … He made it very clear, looked me in the eyes and said ‘I want it. This is my guy.'”

Pencek rewarded his skipper by inducing a pop-up on the infield and then retired the final six Americans he faced.

“Christian came into the dugout at one point when we were considering making a move,” Jagoda said, ” and he made it very clear that he wanted to go back out there.”

Blake Herman had an RBI single and Eric Weeks hit a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the second inning to give Jamestown a 2-0 lead.

“There were a lot of team at-bats throughout that game,” Jagoda said. ” … A lot of guys did some different things tonight.”

After Niagara Falls tied the game in the third, Slanker hit his two-run triple, Justin Bremner hit an RBI single and Herman hit an RBI triple to give the Tarp Skunks a 6-2 lead.

“He finds himself up in big spots and we have full confidence in him. I think he had multiple two-strike hits and he had some long at-bats,” Jagoda said of Herman, a Gowanda graduate and Canisius University commit. “He saw pitches and he drove the baseball to right-center and up the middle. He did a great job.”

That score would hold until the bottom of the sixth inning when Jamestown broke the game open with six more runs. Brady McGuire and Slanker both hit bases-clearing doubles in the frame.

All told, Jamestown went 12 for 34 with two doubles, two triples and five walks on the night while striking out just five times. If they can replicate that offensive performance tonight, it will benefit Collin Bolla (2-1, 1.29 ERA), the left-hander out of Penn State-Behrend who will start for the Tarp Skunks in the one-game, winner-take-all divisional final.

“He’s made three starts in a row and done a great job. We have full confidence in him,” Jagoda said. “He’s another guy who has given us a chance in some big games down the stretch. We’re looking forward to seeing him compete (today).”

NOTES: Jase Rutkowski threw the final two innings for Jamestown, striking out six and walking two. … Herman finished 3 for 3 with a walk, two RBIs and a run scored; McGuire was 2 for 5 with three RBIs and a run scored; Bremner was 2 for 4 with an RBI and two runs scored; and Brady Marshall was 2 for 4 with a run scored. … Gowanda graduate John Ondus threw three innings for Niagara Falls, allowing three runs on two hits and two walks while striking out three. … The winner of tonight’s game will take on the East Division’s champion in a best-of-three series later this week.