LINCOLN, Calif. – With eyes on taking the series, Jessup returned to McBean Park to wrap up their three-game set with the Antelope Valley Pioneers. On a day where the start did not match the finish, Jessup falls to 1-2 as the Pioneers took the rubber game, 14-7.
Head coach
Trevor Paine said after the game that losing a series to start the season, while not ideal, can be a good wake-up call for the team. "I told them after the game, sometimes early in the season against a good opponent, you can get humbled a little bit and get exposed in certain areas. I think it's just a matter of how guys respond."
One area the Warriors will need to clean up is their defense, as they committed two errors, none bigger than a throwing error in the third inning with two outs. The error extended the inning, allowing UAV to plate four runs and go ahead 5-0.
Jessup responded in the bottom half on
Nicholas Hadd's solo home run to left, but a shutdown inning would not follow as the Pioneers extended the lead on a two-run homer.
Another opportunity that Jessup could not take advantage of was the bottom of the second, as Jessup loaded the bases with nobody out. In a perfect situation to take an early lead, the next three batters struck out, sending the visiting dugout into an uproar.
"We need to focus on all three phases of the game," said Paine on the focus this week. "Defensively, I thought we were okay yesterday. Today, we were a little sloppy. On a couple of plays, we just didn't execute well enough, and, you know, we need to address those in practice."
On the mound,
Charlie Perkins made his first start with the Warriors. Perkins was handed the loss after allowing five runs (two earned) on five hits over three innings of work.
Kimo Wilinski and
Joey Miller followed in relief as the two made their Jessup debuts.
Richard Vidal tossed the ninth inning.
Jaisten Cabatbat led the Warriors at the dish, going 3-for-5 with a double and an RBI. The Warriors totaled nine hits in the ballgame, but Cabatbat was the lone player to get multiple base hits in the loss.
The Warriors will be back at McBean Park next weekend as they welcome Oregon Tech for a four-game set. First pitch for Friday's doubleheader is scheduled for 11 a.m.
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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 Jessup University. Follow Jessup Athletics on social media: Jessup University Athletics (Facebook) and @JessupAthletics (Twitter & Instagram).
