LINCOLN, Calif. - Jessup University Warriors unleashed an absolute offensive barrage on Thursday, scoring 28 total runs across a doubleheader sweep against Fresno Pacific University at McBean Park. With a 15-9 victory in game one and a 13-4 thrashing in game two, the Warriors (26-16, 22-14 PacWest) took the first two games against the Fresno Pacific Sunbirds in convincing fashion.
Game 1: Jessup 15, Fresno Pacific 9
The day opened with a shootout, but it was Fresno Pacific who initially threw the heavy punches. The Sunbirds exploded for a massive six-run first inning off Jessup starter Loren Iwata.
But the Warriors were completely unfazed. They matched the energy in the bottom half of the inning, responding with four runs of their own. Colby Pudge ripped a two-run double, followed by an RBI single from Matt Gonsalvez and a sacrifice fly from Adam Reyes to cut the deficit to 6-4.
In the second inning, the relentless Jessup offense kept the pressure on. RBI singles from Landyn Plaut and Adam Reyes tied the game, and a throwing error allowed Jessup to grab their first lead, 8-7, in the third.
The defining moment came in the bottom of the eighth. Holding a narrow 12-9 lead, Jessup put the game out of reach when Hunter Hirayama crossed the plate, and Jayden Montero laced an RBI single, 15-9.
Joey Guarienti entered the game out of the bullpen in the first inning and completely stabilized the game for Jessup. He earned the win (3-1) by pitching 4.2 innings, striking out eight batters, and allowing just one earned run. Joey Miller then closed the door with four strong innings of relief to secure the wild 15-9 victory.
The Jessup lineup collected a staggering 20 hits in game one. Cody Antone went 4-for-6 and scored four times, while Matt Gonsalvez tallied three hits.
Game 2: Jessup 13, Fresno Pacific 4
Jessup continued their offensive success in game two and kept the Sunbirds out of reach early on. Cody Antone continued his red-hot day by blasting a solo home run to right field in the bottom of the first inning to give Jessup an early 1-0 edge.
Then came the early tone setting moment of the afternoon. After Jessup loaded the bases, designated hitter Gabe Harris launched a monumental grand slam to right field, 5-0. Moments later, Quinton Hall followed suit with a two-run homer to left field, 7-0. Before FPU could catch their breath, Colby Pudge drew a bases-loaded walk and Jayden Montero drove a two-run double to left, extending the lead to an insurmountable 10-0.
Fresno Pacific found some life in the fifth inning when they tallied a three-run homer, but Jessup immediately answered in the bottom half of the frame when Adam Reyes launched a three-run bomb to dead center field, bringing the score to 13-4.
Starting pitcher Kai Hirayama was sharp on the mound for Jessup, earning the win (5-2) by tossing four innings, giving up just three hits and one run, and striking out four. The bullpen, featuring Gavin Guard, Jason Riviello, and Caleb Markwith, closed out the remaining three innings to finalize the seven-inning game.
Reflecting on the explosive doubleheader, Head Coach Trevor Paine praised his team's execution at the plate and resilience on the mound. "It was a good day to hit. We haven't seen one of these old school McBean days with strong winds blowing out in awhile, but I thought our approach was really good both games, and runs are at a premium in days like today, you can never score too much," Paine said.
"The bullpen was great in game one. Guarienti was able to stop the bleeding and allow us to swing our way back into the game, and Joey Miller was really good on top of him finishing it out. Kai didn't have his best stuff today, but he grinded and found ways to get outs. We are at the point of the season where every game is huge. We are treating it like playoff baseball, so we need to keep doing the little things well on Saturday."
With the massive offensive showing and the doubleheader sweep, Jessup improves to 26-16 on the year and will carry serious momentum into the remainder of their crucial PacWest series against the Sunbirds. The Warriors will travel to Fresno to conclude the series on Saturday, April 18th.
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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).
