SACRAMENTO, Calif. - The Warriors' first PacWest series concluded Saturday afternoon with another doubleheader against the Golden Eagles of Concordia University Irvine. Unfortunately, Jessup dropped both contests, losing game one in extra innings, 15–11, and game two, 5–1.
Head coach Brie Campbell reflected on the battle: "When you go 10 innings against a program like Concordia, it stops being just about talent and starts being about who can make the quickest adjustment. I was incredibly impressed with how our hitters stayed disciplined as the game wore on. Seeing us rack up 14 hits against a high-level pitching staff shows that our offensive approach is exactly where it needs to be."
Fans were treated to free softball as game one stretched to 10 innings. The pitching duo of Korrie Almond and Evangelina Chavarria shared the circle for the opener.
Jessup struck first in the bottom of the first inning, taking a quick lead on an RBI single from Aaliyah Tinoco. Neva Adams continued the offensive surge in the bottom of the second with a three-run, inside-the-park home run to extend the lead to 4–0.
Concordia refused to go quietly, plating eight runs over the next three innings to reclaim the lead. Down by four, the Warriors' bats came alive during a six-run fifth inning. The rally was highlighted by a three-run blast from senior Kylie Nunes to tie the game at 8–8. Jessup eventually pulled ahead 10–8, but CUI responded an inning later to knot the score at 10.
The game remained deadlocked until the 10th inning, when international tie-breaker rules took effect. The Golden Eagles utilized both the short game and the long ball to plate five runs in the top of the frame. The Warriors managed to scratch across one run in the bottom of the 10th, but the damage was done. Concordia took the epic battle 15–11 in a game that featured 26 total runs and 31 hits.
"Our pitchers were fighting for every inch, and our hitters were backing them up by responding every time CUI tried to pull away," Campbell added. "Neva's inside-the-park home run was the spark we needed—it showed that we weren't giving up. Ky's three-run homer to tie it was electric. Even though the result didn't go our way, playing 10 innings of high-stakes softball proved we have the fight; we just need the finish."
Game two was a much tighter affair. The Warriors again took an early lead, crossing the plate in the first, but Concordia answered an inning later to tie it 1–1.
The score remained deadlocked until the sixth inning, when Concordia broke the game open with a four-run surge. They added one more in the seventh to secure the 5–1 victory. Nohemi Livingston got the nod for game two, pitching a complete seven-inning game for Jessup. Maliyah Lawson also got it done in the box for the Warriors going 4-for-7 on the day.
"Every day we step on the field is an opportunity to grow. Even in games that don't go our way, seeing our players fight until the 10th inning shows the heart of this program," said Campbell. "I am excited to see us continue conference play as we head to Hawaii for a 12-game stretch."
Jessup hits the road for a lengthy trip to the Aloha State. They will first take on the Hawaii Hilo Vulcans on February 27 at 2:00 PM.
***
About Jessup University Athletics Jessup University is a 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).
