ROCKLIN, Calif. - The Warrior's softball team took the diamond for the last scheduled home games this Saturday, also celebrating the graduating seniors as they faced their biggest opponent and deciding matchup of the year, Menlo College. A 1-0 advantage was a battle to the finish as the Warriors took game one, but the Oaks would fire back in game two tying it up all 5's before an RBI-single would seal the sweep in a 6-5 victory. With the pair of wins over the Oaks, Jessup moved to third place in the GSAC standings improving to 29-14 and 12-6 with a pair of makeup games to go against Arizona Christian before the conference tournament. 

Starting strong, the Warriors would open up play against the visiting Oaks with loaded bases in the first inning, but the three would get stranded as a quick two outs ended the inning. Both teams would exchange hits through the next inning, but a pair would not reach the plate to score until the Warriors broke through in the bottom of the third.

Abbie Lewis and Shelbi Graifman would get the rally started as both got on and were pushed over to scoring position on a fielder's choice by Taya Ruiz. Jeno Ovens would hit a rock to shortstop for an infield single and the single RBI of the game to take the lead 1-0.

Another six runners would stay stranded through the end of the contest as the Warriors took game one over the Oaks, Graifman collecting her 25th win of the season pitching the complete seven innings allowing just six hits with five strikeouts.

The Oaks would take the early lead in game two, retaliation in their bats, but the Warriors would answer right back in the bottom of the first with three runs of their own to take the lead back 3-1.

Senior Corina Salinas would reach on an by the Oaks to start things off and Lewis would follow with a single as the two runners moved over for Graifman who was walked. With bases loaded, Natalie Basaldua would reach on an error as two runs crossed the plate, and a double by none other than Ovens would push the final run of the inning for the 3-1 advantage.

Another pair of runs would come in for the Warriors to extend the lead to 5-1 in the bottom of the second complements of Graifman who had a 2 RBI single to bring in Scott and Salinas. 

But the Oaks would battle back in the inning to follow with four runs on six hits with a Warrior error as we headed to the midway point all tied up, 5-5.

The final run of the game and the winning run would come in the bottom of the fifth as Lewis singled and made her way to second on her 30th stolen base of the season and was pushed over to third on a fielder's choice by Basaldua. Ruiz would hit a single to left field bringing in Lewis as the Warriors took their final lead for the sweep 6-5.

Graifman would again go the distance for another win, 26-11, while the Warriors as a team solidified the third seed in the conference for now as they await the makeup games with ACU and just one game away from tying the program record for most wins in a season.
 

   
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) and @JessupAthletics (Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat).