IRVINE, Calif. – Jessup Warriors Softball (1-1) split their Friday doubleheader at the CUI Kickoff Classic in Irvine, bouncing back from a narrow morning loss to University of Nebraska-Kearney (1-0) with an offensive explosion to defeat CSU San Bernardino (1-1) in the nightcap.
The day showcased both the resilience of the Warriors' pitching staff and a glimpse of the high-powered offense the program has become known for.
Game One: University of Nebraska-Kearney, 3-0
In the early contest, Jessup found themselves locked in a classic pitcher's duel against the Nebraska-Kearney Lopers. The Lopers managed to break the scoreless tie in the third inning behind an RBI double from Zane Birgha, followed by a run-scoring single from Daniella Mor. Korrie Almond took over in relief, providing four strong innings and striking out three while allowing only one run, but the Warriors' bats struggled to find a rhythm. Jessup was limited to just two hits in the morning, one each from Rebekah Beasley and Maddy Ybarra as they ultimately fell 3-0.
Game Two: vs CSU San Bernardino, 7-3
The script flipped entirely in the second game of the day. Facing off against Cal State San Bernardino, the Warriors wasted no time asserting their dominance. The Jessup offense erupted for four runs in the top of the first inning, ignited by two triples in the first by Maliyah Lawson and Maddy Ybarra. Reagann Hoblit kept the momentum swinging with an RBI single, followed by a bases-loaded walk from Evangelina Chavarria. Kaiya Miller then delivered the knockout blow of the inning with a two-run single to center, giving Jessup an early 4-0 cushion.
Reflecting on the opening day, Head Coach Brie Campbell saw the growth between the two contests. "Today was a great start to the season," Campbell said. "We were able to get our nerves out of the way in game one and come back with a great showing on both sides of the field in game two. I'm really proud of our pitching staff working together for the common goals, and a strong defense behind them. Offensively, we made the adjustments we needed to with plenty of room to grow as the weekend progresses."
The Warriors added insurance runs in the fourth and fifth innings to keep the Coyotes at bay. Rebekah Beasley drove in a run with a line-drive single to center in the fourth, and Chavarria added her second RBI of the night in the fifth. A defensive miscue by San Bernardino later in the fifth allowed Hoblit to cross the plate for the second time, pushing the lead to 7-1.
On the rubber, Evangelina Chavarria and Korrie Almond combined to keep the Coyotes' hitters off balance. Chavarria earned the start, navigating through five innings of work to keep the lead intact. Almond returned to the circle in relief for the final two frames, slamming the door on any potential comeback. San Bernardino managed to scratch across a run in the sixth on a triple, but Almond induced a series of popouts and a game-ending strikeout to secure the 7-3 victory and the Friday split.
Jessup moves to 1-1 on the young season following the day's action. The Warriors will look to build off the momentum of their offensive outburst as they continue their opening weekend slate tomorrow. The team starts bright and early as they start with Cal Poly Humboldt at 8:30 AM and play a second game against Northwest Nazarene for first pitch at 1:00 PM.
