LINCOLN, Calif. — Following a long road trip to the Hawaiian Islands, the Warriors returned home for a pivotal conference matchup with the Vanguard University Lions. The two squads split the opening day doubleheader, with Vanguard taking game one 3-0 before Jessup roared back for a 3-2 victory in game two.

With the split, the Warriors move to 9-7 in PacWest play and 12-13 overall.

In the opener, the Lions gained momentum early. An RBI single up the middle in the first inning scored a runner from second to give Vanguard a 1-0 lead. That narrow margin held until the fifth inning, as both defenses locked in.

Vanguard eventually extended the lead in the fifth, plating two more runs via an RBI single and a wild pitch. Jessup was unable to capitalize on base runners through seven innings, resulting in a 3-0 final. Sophomore Evangelina Chavarria earned the start for Jessup, moving to 3-1 on the season after suffering her first loss.

"We needed to be better with our pitch selection in game one and make adjustments sooner," said Head Coach Brie Campbell. "Unfortunately, Vanguard was able to capitalize on our mistakes to come out on top."

The Warriors did exactly that in game two, bouncing back from a two-hit performance in the opener to secure a 3-2 win. Freshman Kaiya Miller sparked the offense in the bottom of the second inning with an RBI single to give Jessup an early lead.

An inning later, the Warriors put immense pressure on the Lions' defense, loading the bases for freshman Aalyah Mendoza. In a gritty 11-pitch at-bat, Mendoza drew a walk to score Aaliyah Tinoco. During the play, the speed of Kylie Nunes caught the Lions defense sleeping, as she rounded third and made her way across home to push the lead to 3-0.

Vanguard found some late life in the top of the seventh, scoring two runs to tighten the game. However, starting pitcher Nohemi Livingston fed her defense to close the door. Livingston tossed a complete game, securing the final three outs to preserve the victory.

"We knew what we needed to do at the plate to get runs across; timely hitting and disciplined at-bats did the job," Campbell continued. "Nohemi tossed a great game, and the defense was lights-out behind her to help us earn the split."

The Warriors look to clinch the series tomorrow in another doubleheader against the Lions starting at 1:00 PM. The team will also host "Strikeout Cancer Day," honoring those bravely fighting the disease.

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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).