ROCKLIN, Calif. - William Jessup University played their first road conference series Friday and Saturday at Phoenix Arizona, taking game two of the series but losing the series overall, 2-1.
Game 1
Senior pitcher Sam Anderson (Roseville, CA) started the series off on the mound for the Warriors Friday afternoon completing seven well pitched innings.
Jessup outhit Arizona Christian on the day and jumped into an early lead in the top of the second. Nainoa Hart (Hilo, HI) drilled a triple deep into the outfield, driving home teammate Steven Otaguro (Concord, CA). Hart wasn't done as an errant throw to third base gave Hart the room he needed to complete his trek to home plate.
Arizona Christian University was quick to answer making up a run in the bottom of second but leaving Jessup with a 2-1 lead. Despite recording 11 hits on the afternoon, the second inning would be the last time the Warriors would cross home plate. The Firestorm would score a run in the third, one in the fifth and then two in the eighth to take the game 5-2.
Anderson allowed only 3 earned runs on day, striking out five in the loss. Arizona's Dean Jackson recorded the win allowing one earned run and recording eight strikeouts.
Game 2
The Warriors were the first to start making some noise offensively in the top of the third inning. Zach Clement (San Diego, CA) walked before advancing to second on a sacrifice bunt from Michael Capocciama (Huntington Beach, CA). Jessup put two more runners on base from walks and the Warriors had bases loaded with two outs before ACU was forced to make a pitching change.
Nathan Torres (Monterey Park, CA) came up to the plate and hit a nice ball into center field but the Firestorm had good position and retired the Warriors from the inning.
The Warriors would not be the only team to make noise in the third as the Firestorm posted an unearned run off a throwing error by the Jessup shortstop giving ACU a 1-0 lead.
Jessup made another run at tying the game in the bottom of the sixth with Torres leading off the inning reaching 2nd on a double down the left field line. Otaguro struck out but the third strike was a wild pitch allowing him to reach first and advancing Torres to third. Still, the Warriors couldn't complete a diamond.
The Warriors finally got on the board in the top of the seventh when Drew Valdez (Duarte, CA) singled to right field sending Clement home and tying the game at one. The score would remain 1-1 for the remainder of the originally scheduled nine innings.
In the first extra inning Torres stepped back up to the plate, and, deciding that he was ready to move on to game two of the doubleheader, promptly sent his pitch back over the ACU defence and over the park fence for a solo homerun to take a 2-1 lead, and close the game with a 2-1 victory.
Jessup finished the game with 10 hits compared to 6 hits from Arizona Christian. Senior pitcher Manuel Velasquez (Downey, CA) came in as a relief pitcher in the seventh inning and earned the win allowing no runs on four hits.
Game 3
William Jessup University continued the momentum they ended with in game one, scoring a run in the top of the first inning when an error allowed Kyle Robinson (Modesto, CA) to score. In the bottom of the third, the Warriors found themselves in a bit of a jam with bases loaded and no outs but pitcher Calvin Bonilla (Eagle Rock, CA) and ensemble got out of the inning allowing just one run.
Jessup's bats quickly went to work rebuilding the lead and in the top of the fourth, a base hit from Hart through the middle hole of the infield sent Otaguro home reclaiming a one run Warrior lead.
Again, the Firestorm managed to find an answer, scoring a devastating 2 runs in the bottom of the 5th inning and taking a 3-2 lead. The runs would be the last seen as the remainder of the game continued uneventfully and Arizona Christian won 3-2. Relief pitcher Jacob Wilson was credited the game's loss.
Baseball will have a short turnaround before their next game, hosting Bethesda at home Tuesday, February 23 at 6:00 p.m. at Bryant Field in Marysville, CA.
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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).
