GRAPEVINE, Tex. – The Warriors had a flair for the dramatic this Tuesday in Texas as extra innings were needed before a walk-off capped off the win. Needing to pull off a comeback late against Sterling, Jessup was up for the task as three runs were scored in the game's final three innings to keep Jessup on the winning side of the bracket.
Sterling entered the NCCAA World Series as the second seed. Both Sterling and Jessup won their two games on Monday to set up a meeting of the top two seeds in the tournament.
Bella MacFarlane made her second start of the week. Coming off a complete game on Monday, MacFarlane responded with eight innings in the circle on Tuesday. The junior right-hander surrendered two runs across seven hits. She walked four and struck out two.
Sterling was the first to get on the scoreboard as two runs crossed home in the top of the fifth. They held that 2-0 lead into the sixth until
Reagann Hoblit erased the zero with an RBI single to plate
Maddy Ybarra.
The Warriors kept their foot on the gas in the seventh as one run was needed to extend the inning. That run would come off the bat of
Emma Gaytan as she singled to score
Malia Ishii to tie the game.
Hannah Aguilar reached third on the Gaytan hit, placing her 60 feet away from victory.
Aguilar was eventually thrown out at home as Sterling avoided a seventh-inning walk-off, sending the game to the eighth.
Sarah Giles led off the eighth with a double down the left field line, and then Hoblit bunted her to third. The winning moment came off the bat of
Kylie Nunes as her fly ball to right field allowed Giles to tag up and score.
Hoblit had the big bat in the win as she finished 3-for-4.
The Warriors are now the lone unbeaten team in the field and will need one more win to reach the championship round. Jessup will play Fort Lauderdale on Wednesday in a rematch from Monday night. That game is scheduled for 1 p.m. (CT).
A win against Fort Lauderdale will send Jessup to the championship game at 3:30 p.m. (CT). A loss in the championship would force a third game at 6 p.m. (CT).
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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).
