ATHERTON, Calif. – The William Jessup University men's baseball program got their second year of action underway Saturday, traveling to the bay area for a doubleheader with Golden State Athletic Conference rivals Menlo College. Jessup struggled in the opener, but found their way in game two only to fall late and drop both games of the doubleheader.
GAME ONE
Saturday's season opener was not one for the record books, as Jessup struggled to get on base throughout the entirety of the game. With both the Warriors and Oaks locked in a lethal pitcher's duel, it was Menlo who would prevail, starting the Warriors season off with a 1-0 loss.
Jessup managed to get just one hit in the first game of Saturday's doubleheader, a single by shortstop Zach Sween in the top of the third. The base hit came right after designated hitter Joshua Duitsman reached via an error with one out, but Duitsman was picked off at first while Sween was at the plate.
Menlo got their lone run of the day in the bottom of the fifth on an RBI single to right field. Sam Anderson (0-1, 1.80) was on the bump for Jessup in game one, he received the loss while allowing just one run on 6 hits, striking out three and walking one. Cameron Morrow pitched 3 innings of relief, allowing no hits while walking just one and recording one strikeout. Skyler Fuss received the win for Menlo, tossing 5 shutout innings with just one hit allowed, 9 strikeouts and no walks.
GAME TWO
Game two was a much more interesting matchup than that of game one, and the Warriors bats also decided to come out to play, driving in the first few runs of the season. Jessup and Menlo sent the final game of the doubleheader down to the wire, but it as the Oaks who prevailed with a 4-3 victory and a series sweep.
The Warriors got their first run of the year in the third when Dayton Kurian singled in a run to give the Warriors the lead. Menlo added two more runs in the fifth, but the Warriors would score on Kyle Robinson's double in the seventh to tie the game at two. The Warriors took the lead in the eighth when Steven Otaguro scored on a wild pitch, but two runs in the bottom of the ninth sent Menlo home with the walk off victory.
Robinson finished the game 2-for-4 with an RBI, and Kurian went just 1-for-4 with the RBI and a strikeout. Phillip Chavez got the starting nod, pitching 4.2 innings while allowing 2 runs (1 earned) on 4 hits and 3 strikeouts.
The season continues on Friday, January 29, when the Warriors head to Turlock for game one of a three game series with Stanislaus State. Game time Friday is slated for 2:00 p.m. Jessup's home opener is scheduled for February 2, when they host GSAC foes Vanguard University at American River College in Sacramento.
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William Jessup University is a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), and the Golden State Athletic Conference (GSAC). For additional information regarding Jessup Athletics, visit www.jessupathletics.com; visit www.jessup.edu for more information on William Jessup University. Follow Jessup Athletics on social media: William Jessup University Athletics (Facebook), @WJUSports (Twitter), and @JessupAthletics (Instagram, and Snapchat).
