IRVINE, Calif. – With two teams battling to see who would stay alive and who would go home, Jessup hit the field Tuesday against Hope International in the first elimination game of the week. What ensued at OC Great Park was a pitcher's duel for the ages, extending to ten innings before one team finally got the big hit.
Unfortunately for Jessup fans, that big hit came off the bat of All-GSAC first baseman Emily Puente as her two-out RBI double sent Jessup home early.
What preceded the tenth-inning run was a dominating pitcher's duel featuring Jessup's
Terra Goetz and Hope International's Allie Puente. The two combined for 19 innings in the circle, with neither conceding a run.
Goetz lasted nine innings, the longest outing of her career, as she allowed no runs on four hits. Goetz also walked two while striking out five Royals.
Opposing the Warriors was the GSAC Pitcher of the Year in Allie Puente. Puente, who allowed one run over seven innings against Vanguard on Monday, was dominant again on Tuesday as she tossed ten shutout frames. Puente, who leads the NAIA in strikeouts, punched out ten while walking just one as she picked up her 26th win of the season.
Two of the Jessup hits came off the bat of shortstop
Karlie Bilbrey, as Bilbrey improved to 7-for-7 against Puente this season before finally recording an out in her final at-bat of the game.
HIU threatened in the eighth, putting a runner on third with one out but a hard-hit ball to
Neva Adams in left field forced the runner to hold up. Again, in the ninth, HIU put a runner on third with one away, but Goetz danced out of danger to end her day with the score still tied.
Jessup put a runner in scoring position twice, but at the end of the day, they left five runners on base.
Katie Blankenheim gets handed the loss after she entered in relief to start the tenth.
Hope International advances to take on Arizona Christian Tuesday night. The winner will face Vanguard in the championship round tomorrow.
Jessup's season comes to an end with their record of 24-22 overall. The Warriors will look to make another run at a GSAC Championship in 2024, potentially their final run, as the university has announced plans to transition into the NCAA ahead of the 2024-25 school year.
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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).
