WALESCA, Ga. – The first elimination game of the week got underway on Tuesday, as a rainy Reinhardt University set the stage for a battle between Jessup and Keiser. In another offensive slugfest, Kaiser made the final punch, as a 13-10 final ends Jessup's season.
Jessup has now been eliminated from the NAIA Opening Round. The campaign ends with an overall record of 39-11.
Monday's game did not start on time, as for the second day in a row, rain fell on Walesca. The grounds crew removed the tarp from the field 30 minutes before the scheduled start time, but within minutes, the tarp was back on as the rain began to pick up. An hour delay then followed as the contest began at 1 p.m. (EST).
The two teams combined for five home runs on Monday as the ball continued to fly. Jessup hit two of those homers, With the first being a solo shot off the bat of
Drew Andrews in the second inning.
Jessup plated three runs in the second, as a sac bunt from
Jack Grant and then a
James Williams III single made it 3-0.
Keiser made their push in the fourth, as a four-run inning made it 4-3. The Warriors then countered on Williams' second home run of the week, this time to even the score. Two more runs would be added in the fifth, making it 6-4.
Another big inning from Kaiser put the Warriors down one, but Jessup responded in the seventh with three more to pull ahead 9-7. An insurance run was added on
Chris Lopez's RBI single in the eighth, making it a 10-7 Jessup advantage.
Keiser made their final push in the bottom half, as they loaded the bases, leading to a run-scoring walk and a two-run single to even the game. The big blow then came on a three-run home run, putting Jessup down 13-10 heading into the final inning of the season.
Left-hander
Max Moreno logged five innings on Tuesday for Jessup.
Joey Miller then pitched for the second day in a row, and he went 2.1.
Evan Williams receives the loss after recording the final two outs.
Keiser will now play the loser of the Reinhard-Point Park matchup, which is currently ongoing.
Tuesday brings to an end Jessup's era in the NAIA, as they will transition into NCAA Division II and the PacWest Conference next season.
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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).
