SANTA BARBARA, Calif. — Jessup University (24-16, 14-14 PacWest) baseball team brought out the brooms on Saturday, sweeping their doubleheader against Westmont College (21-13, 18-13 PacWest) in dramatic victories at Russ Carr Field, 5-4 and 1-0.
Jessup 5, Westmont 4
Game one was a true back-and-forth thriller that tested Jessup's resilience. Westmont struck first, building a 2-0 lead by the fifth inning. However, the Jessup offense roared to life in the top of the sixth to flip the script.
Tony Otis sparked the rally, setting the table for Quinton Hall, who ripped an RBI double to left field to put Jessup on the board, 2-1. The line kept moving as Landyn Plaut followed with an RBI single through the right side, and Adam Reyes drove in another run with a clutch single up the middle to give the Warriors a 3-2 lead.
The advantage was short-lived, as Westmont answered with two runs of their own in the bottom of the sixth to retake a 4-3 lead. But Jessup refused to fold. In the top of the eighth, Hall came up huge again, launching a crucial solo home run to right field to lock the game in a 4-4 tie.
The stage was set for the ninth inning. Pinch-hitting in the designated hitter spot, Gabe Harris delivered the swing of the game, blasting a go-ahead solo shot to right-center field to give the Warriors a 5-4 lead. Reliever Noah Souza then slammed the door shut in the bottom of the ninth to earn his second save of the year and secure the victory for pitcher Joey Miller.
"We just stuck with our approach and grinded out at bats all day," Head Coach Trevor Paine said of his team's relentless offense. "We were able to slow the game down in those instances and put good swings on the ball."
Jessup 1, Westmont 0
If Game one was an offensive tug-of-war, Game two was an absolute pitching masterclass. Starting pitcher Eric Vasser was the undisputed star of the finale. Vasser completely handcuffed the Westmont lineup, tossing six scoreless innings, scattering just four hits, and striking out six batters to keep the home team off the board.
"That was the best I've ever seen Vasser throw the ball," Paine emphasized postgame. "He was dominant and made big pitches when he needed to. He got in a good rhythm and was confident."
With Vasser dealing on the mound, the Warriors just needed one timely hit, and Cody Antone delivered it. Leading off the top of the seventh inning, Antone ambushed a pitch and sent a solo home run sailing down the left-field line, breaking the scoreless tie and putting Jessup ahead 1-0.
Jordan Cezar took over in the bottom of the seventh to protect the one-run lead. Despite allowing a one-out single, Cezar maintained his composure and induced a game-ending groundout to secure his first save of the season and seal the Saturday and series sweep.
Jessup will return home to look to keep their momentum rolling as they prepare for a crucial series against Fresno Pacific University starting on April 16th. First pitch is scheduled for 12:00 PM.
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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).
