LINCOLN, Calif. – It was a rare Thursday game at McBean park for the Warrior baseball team, as they welcomed their neighbors up north in the University of British Columbia to town for the first of a four-game series. The Thunderbirds entered the game riding a high after defeating Division I Sacramento State 4-3 on Tuesday.
It took extra innings, but UBC prevailed with late-game heroics to take the first game of the series 6-4.
Jessup started off strong, jumping out to an early lead in the first inning. The Warriors loaded the bases before getting anyone out but only were able to bring two runs home. The first was scored by
Nicholas Hadd, thanks to an RBI double play from
Jorge Perez.
Dylan Cole doubled the lead thanks to a throwing error, putting Jessup up 2-0.
The Thunderbirds got one back in the second, taking advantage of a Jessup error to cut the lead in half.
Things were silent through two innings before UBC took the lead in the top half of the fifth with a two-RBI single off the bat of Noah Or.
Jessup stepped back into the lead with a pair of solo shots from
Dylan Cole and
Rhys De Highden in the fifth and seventh innings, respectively. UBC tied it back up in the eighth before delivering the fatal blow in the tenth with a two-run homer just inside the left-field foul pole.
Christian Winston made his Jessup debut on the mound, pitching four innings for the Warriors. The senior lefty allowed just one run, unearned, on three hits while striking out four.
"It was a good outing from him. He's just trying to get his feet under him and getting back into live competition," said head coach
Trevor Paine. "He's only going to continue to keep improving as he gets more and more comfortable and acclimated to everything, so ultimately, like, not a lot to complain about."
On the offensive side, Hadd was the lone Warrior with two hits in the contest.
Dylan Cole recorded one official at-bat in the contest, reaching base on balls three times.
Jessup (11-7) will be back in action at McBean tomorrow against UBC (5-8) for the second game of the four-game weekend series. The series will wrap up with a doubleheader on Saturday.
"The good thing about baseball is there's always tomorrow and an opportunity tomorrow to come out and even this thing up and then ultimately win a series," added Paine. "So, you take this one off, you tip your cap to UBC for making plays and coming up with big swings to and big at-bats, and you just come back out tomorrow ready to get after it."
First pitch for tomorrow's game is scheduled for noon.
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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) and @JessupAthletics (Twitter & Instagram).
