LINCOLN, Calif. – Baseball was back in action on Wednesday as Jessup squared off with the Oaks of Menlo College. With the season's end drawing near, the Warriors saw a big performance out of their bats and pitching as they took the midweek meeting 11-1.
Wednesday's action was a break from the conference schedule, as for the second time this season, Jessup hit the field for a non-conference meeting with the Oaks. The Warriors end the season 4-1 in their season series with Menlo.
The long ball was working for the Warriors in this one as Jessup slugged three home runs, two coming off the bat of Chris Cook. Cook's homers, his 10th and 11th of the season, place him in a tie for fourth most in the GSAC. Jessup's other home run came off the bat of
Noah Takayama as he blasted a solo shot in the fourth.
Takayama's home run checks two milestones off the board as not only was it the first of his collegiate career, but it was also the sophomore's first extra-base hit.
Jessup scored in six of the eight innings they came up to bat Wednesday, all coming in a row as the Warriors' only zeroes in the run column occurred in the first and eighth innings. A series of ones in the run column occurred in the second, third, and fourth before a five-spot was put on the board in the fifth.
That five-run inning saw just one Jessup base hit, a two-run double from
Nick Kasparian, as Menlo recorded two errors, walked three, and hit two batters.
Freshman Keola Yim earned the start in this one, and the outing that followed was the best of his young career. Yim tossed four shutout innings in which he surrendered just one base hit. Yim also struck out three while walking one.
The win went to another freshman,
Kimo Wilinski, who entered in the fifth with the Warriors leading 4-0. Wilinski surrendered the lone run scored by the Oaks, but the victory is one to highlight as it is the first of his collegiate career.
Jessup turned to five relievers, all tossing one inning each.
Preston Brook,
Jason Riviello,
Charlie Perkins, and
Caleb Markwith followed Wilinski's outing as the four arms combined for four shutout innings in which Menlo recorded just one hit.
The victory improves the Warriors to 17-20-1 on the season, keeping the possibility of a sixth consecutive winning record in play.
Up next for the Warriors is the final weekend of the regular season, and it's a big one. Jessup welcomes The Master's University to McBean Park as the two teams will fight for the final spot in the GSAC Tournament.
For TMU to qualify for the postseason, the road is simple, one win, and they are in. However, Jessup's path, while also simple, is an uphill climb as the Warriors will need to sweep the Mustangs.
Tickets for this weekend's series against the Mustangs are for sale
HERE.
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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).
