REDDING, Calif. – The Warriors went 4-2 in a six-game tournament hosted by Simpson University over the weekend, splitting games with No. 3 Oregon Institute of Technology and No. 17 Corban University while finishing 2-0 against unranked teams.
12 February 2016
Jessup softball started out the long weekend playing two highly touted National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) softball teams in No. 3 Oregon Institute of Technology and No. 17 Corban University. The Warriors started off the day playing a very close game with Corban, each team had four hits on the day and Jessup posted zero errors but Corban got the hits when it counted and took the Warriors 2-0.
Jessup found it difficult to bounce back against the Owls of Oregon Institute of Technology. The Warriors would eventually succumb to a 12-3 defeat but not before junior Amanda Taylor (Rio Oso, CA) hit her first home run of the season sending in two of Jessup's runs.
At the end of the day, the Warriors took on Northwest Christian University for the first time this season where senior Jessica Myers (Modesto, CA) started on the mound for the Warriors. She pitched an excellent game facing 20 batters, allowing two earned runs on 5 hits and recording two strikeouts. Offensively, junior Kayla Cisneros (Visalia, CA) posted three RBI's on one hit while Delaney Slater (Folsom, CA) crossed home on three occasions with one hit while also contributing one RBI.
13 February 2016
The Warriors got OIT's number on their second meeting of the weekend. The game was a pitcher's duel through and through with sophomore Shelbi Graifman (Antioch, CA) on the mound for the Warriors. Graifman allowed no runs on two hits and struck out five batters in the win.
The Warriors scored the lone run of the game at the top of the fifth inning. Freshman Breanna Miskimen (Torrance, CA) was hit by a pitch then advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt from Kristina Ortiz (Clovis, CA). Freshman teammate Kaylee Surrell (Stockton, CA) nailed a single into center field which would be enough to bring Miskimen in for the winning run.
Defeating the No. 3 ranked team in the nation fueled the Warriors into game two and they proceeded to dismantle Southern Oregon University. Jessup broke the game open in the second inning. Despite seeing their first two batters retired, Jessup went on to score six runs, capped off by a three-run homer by Delaney Slater.
Surrell began the fourth inning with a solo home run and the bats kept rolling as Jessup put an extra four runs on the scoreboard in the inning. Myers was on the mound for Jessup and allowed only four hits in the game while striking out four batters in the win.
To conclude the six-game weekend, the Warriors still had to face No. 17 Corban University a second time. Corban scored a run in each of the opening two innings. The Warriors answered each time. In the first inning, Cisneros hit a base hit driving home senior Riley Williams (Orangevale, CA). In the second inning, Jessup put three runners across home plate beginning with a two-run home run from Ortiz.
Jessup sealed the deal in the fifth when they grabbed another four runs with RBI's hit by Ali Medina (Galt, CA) and Clarissa Blaquera (Union City, CA) while two throwing errors allowed Surrell and Medina to score. Graifman finished the weekend on the mound allowing six hits while striking out eight and allowing one earned run.
Jessup doesn't get any breathing room after the weekend; they will host Simpson University on Monday, February 15, at Azevedo Park in a doubleheader starting at 1 p.m.
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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).
