LINCOLN, Calif. – Hoping to continue the momentum gained after winning back-to-back to close out last week's series against No. 10 Hope International, the Warriors welcomed The Master's University for a rare non-conference series between two GSAC schools. Game one did not go Jessup's way, but powered by several home runs, the Warriors earned a Thursday split.
 
In a break from the norm, Jessup sent their usual Saturday starter Brad Jones to the mound for Thursday's opener. Jones pitched just three innings after producing his longest outing of the year last weekend. He allowed just one run on two hits.
 
With the Warriors leading 2-1 through three, aided by RBI from Mike Shoenberger and Dante Peretti, the Mustangs began to strike as Nolan Murphy took the ball in relief. The Master's tacked on five runs in the fifth to pull away.
 
Murphy would surrender four more in the seventh as the Warriors were forced to go to the bullpen for Chase Marcoe. Marcoe would eventually hand the ball to Aaron Lopez in the eighth, as the Mustangs had the bases loaded with nobody out. Thanks to a great throw by Jacob Gribbin to throw out the tagging runner at home, Lopez got out of the inning untouched.
 
Shoenberger was the best bat in the lineup for Jessup in game one, as he went 3-for-5 at the plate with five RBI. Shoenberger's first-inning double was topped in the sixth as he hit his eighth home run of the season.
 
Trailing 14-4 entering the ninth, Jessup began to rally. Mason Sherrill started it with a pinch-hit RBI single. He would be driven in on a two-run double to left from Kawaiola Takemura. Shoenberger's two-run single was the final strike as Jessup dropped the opener, 14-9.
 
The Mustangs got out to a red-hot start in game two, as they put up four runs on Caleb Markwith, who was making the first start of his collegiate career.
 
Markwith would settle down after the first, allowing five runs on six hits over three innings of work.
 
"Caleb had a little first inning jitters. It took him a little bit of time to get comfortable out there," said Head Coach Trevor Paine on the first collegiate start for Markwith. "Once he started trusting his stuff and going right at hitters, he had a little more success."
 
Jessup battled back in the first, as Peretti put the Warriors on the board with a bases-loaded sac fly. The big blast came as Max Modeste hit a towering three-run shot to right field to tie the game at 4-4.
 
Paine noted that the ninth inning of game one helped Jessup start fast in game two, stating, "We carried over the momentum into game two and had a good first inning. Momentum is a part of this game, as we put some runs on the board and strung some at-bats together in the next game."
 
After The Master's retook the lead on a solo home run, Jessup struck for a solo shot of their own as Kevin Jordan Jr. homered to left field. Down 6-5 in the fifth, Jessup again tied the game with a home run as Modeste hit another moon shot to right, his second home run of the day.
 
"Max swung the bat real well today," added Paine. "I thought it was a good matchup for him. He ran into two pitches that were big timely swings that tied the game both times. I'm really proud of his day."
 
The Warriors took the lead later in the fifth as Takemura drove in two with a seeing-eye ground ball through the left side. One batter later, Jordan Jr. hit a grounder of his own that got through the infield, plating two to set the game at the eventual final, 10-6.
 
Getting the win in game two was Max Moreno, as his four innings of work kept the Warriors in contention. Moreno allowed just one run (unearned) on three hits, striking out two.
 
Jessup moves to 16-12 overall on the season after the Thursday split. The Warriors and Mustangs will battle for the series victory tomorrow at McBean, as the Friday doubleheader is scheduled to begin at noon.
   
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 and Instagram).