SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The uncertainty of where and when the Warriors and Silverswords would play this weekend has been answered, as the two teams met up at American River College on Friday. Only six innings were needed to eventually decide a winner in the series opener, as Jessup narrowly beat the rain in an 11-3 victory.
Friday's series opener was shifted to the turf complex at American River College after rain hit Lincoln throughout the week. Saturday's series finale will also see a new site as the action shifts to Foothill HS for tomorrow's doubleheader.
The Jessup bats were not left in Lincoln, as they showed up and showed out in Sacramento with 11 runs on 13 hits. Six of Jessup's hits went for extra bases.
Infielder
Hannah Dominguez was the beneficiary of two of those extra-base hits, beginning in the third inning with her solo blast to put the Warriors on top 2-1. The home run was the first of Dominguez's collegiate career, and she followed it up in her next plate appearance with a double that came up a few feet short of her second long ball of the day.
Jessup left the yard once again in the fifth, this coming when the game was tied at three. With the bases loaded,
Maddy Ybarra broke the game open with a grand slam to left field. Ybarra ended the game going 2-for-3 with five RBI and a pair of runs scored.
Two more runs crossed home in the fifth, pushing the lead to 9-3. The tenth run came home on a sixth-inning groundout by
Sarah Giles, and then stepped-up
Emma Gaytan, who brought the game to an end with an RBI double off the wall in center field.
Right-hander
Alexandria Himes was given the ball to start the series. She responded with three runs over six innings. She allowed one home run, a solo shot in the third inning. Chaminade also got to her with two runs in the fifth.
Himes is now 4-6 in her first Jessup season.
Tomorrow, the Warriors and Silverswords will take the field two more times, but the highlight of the day will come between games one and two. Jessup will honor members of the 2024 NAIA World Series team with the presentation of their World Series runner-up rings.
The ceremony will begin moments after the conclusion of game one.
First pitch from Foothill HS is slated for noon. The games will be live-streamed on the PacWest Network for those who are unable to attend.
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Jessup University is a provisional member of the National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) Division II and the PacWest Conference. 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 (Instagram & X).
