FULLERTON, Calif. – Dubbed by NAIA Ball on social media as the
Big Series of the Week, the No. 7 Warriors took on the No. 12 Royals of Hope International with first place in the GSAC on the line. Backed by some big innings, the HIU offense was too much to combat, as the Royals swept the day at Duane Winters Field.
Jessup, who now trail the Royals by 2.5 games in the conference standings, falls to 14-6 in GSAC action.
Senior
Trey Furrey had another game to remember in Friday's opener, as he went 3-for-4, reaching base all four times. Furrey launched a solo shot in the third that gave Jessup a 1-0 lead and then added to the Jessup offense again in the fifth with his three-run blast.
Furrey's 16 home runs are two shy of matching the Jessup single-season record.
HIU responded to Furrey's first blast with a five-run inning in the third, which they followed with a run in each of the next three innings. Jessup attempted a comeback in the eighth when they got two on with nobody out, trailing by four, but a double play ended any chance of a rally.
The Royals then added salt to the wound with an eight spot in the eighth. A
Michael Doerr home run in the ninth gave the Warriors another run, but it would be too little, too late in a 16-5 defeat.
Right-hander
Haliama Swartman suffered his first loss of the season as he served up seven runs (five earned) on 11 hits over five innings. Ten of the 16 runs the Royals scored in game one were unearned.
Now needing to bounce back and force a pivotal rubber game tomorrow, the Warriors got started on the right foot in game two, thanks to a solo blast from
Quinton Hall. HIU countered with a solo shot of their own to even things at one, but Jessup again went on the attack as
Bryce Petrilla drove in a run with a gapping double, later scoring on a wild pitch to make it 3-1.
But the big innings continued to plague the Warriors, as HIU responded with two in the third to even the score and followed that up with three in the fourth to take a 6-3 advantage.
Left-hander
Max Moreno was given the ball to start game two. Moreno on the mound has been a good sign for the Warriors this season, as Jessup entered Friday 8-1 in games the senior lefty throws in. But on Friday, Moreno took the loss as he allowed six runs (five earned) on eight hits across five innings.
A
James Williams III RBI in the sixth cut Jessup within two, but there would be no rally to follow, as the Royals took the Friday finale by a 6-4 final.
Jessup and HIU will return to the diamond for two more tomorrow, with just one of the games counting towards conference records. First pitch is set 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).
