HATTIESBURG, Miss; - An impressive day at the plate from the Warriors advances them to the championship game of the 2024 NAIA Opening Round. Jessup will play William Carey tomorrow at 11:00 AM.
The Warriors defeated the No. 2 seed, William Carey, in a final score of 6-3. Jessup has won its first two games of the opening-round tournament and looks forward to the final games tomorrow.
The Crusaders of William Carey hoped on top early as they scored three runs in the game's first two innings. Going into the bottom of the third inning down by three, the Warriors responded with the bats thanks to a massive momentum shift from the bottom of the lineup.
Brie Campbell spoke highly of the well-executed offensive shifts today. "The best part is every day is another opportunity, and today, the bottom of the lineup led us to this win. We know we can hit the ball, but today we executed in every situation asked; that's just good softball."
The 8-9-1 hitters for Jessup, Neva Adams, Olivia Dominguez, and Madisyn Leffle loaded the bases with zero outs, allowing the Warriors to capitalize. Maddy Ybarra and Sarah Giles would bring the first set of runs across the board with fielder's-choice ground outs to the infield.
Two innings later, in the fifth inning, the bottom of the lineup for Jessup would again spark the scoring spree for Jessup to plate three more runs. Neva Adams went 3-for-3 on the day, Olivia Dominguez 2-for-3, and Madisyn Leffle 3-for-4. Ybarra had three RBIs, Giles had two RBIs, and Leffle had one.
"Neva Adams was a force for us today, going 3-for-3 and leading two innings worth of runs coming in to take the lead. She has stepped up this tournament alone, and I can't say enough how proud of her I am for her all-out effort," said head coach Brie Campbell.
Pitcher Bella MacFarlane came into relief in the top of the seventh to close it out for the Warriors in 1-2-3 fashion to complete the Wednesday matinee victory, 6-3.
The winner of tomorrow's contest will advance to the 2024 Softball World Series in Columbus, Georgia. Jessup was in this situation before in 2022, when they made their first-ever program appearance in the NAIA Opening Rounds.
"It's exciting to be back where we belong. This team has earned an opportunity to play their best softball as long as possible, and tomorrow is another step to reaching their goals for a postseason run," continues Campbell on tomorrow's contest.
Jessup will play William Carey tomorrow at 11:00 AM (PST) in a battle to claim a seat in Georgia.
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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).
