SEASIDE, CA — Jessup University softball team hit the road on Tuesday for a non-conference doubleheader against the Cal State Monterey Bay Otters, 8-0 and 9-3.
In the opening matchup, the Otters struck early, but the Warriors' lineup continued to battle and put the ball in play. Second baseman Maddy Ybarra and center fielder Kylie Nunes were locked in at the dish, each collecting two hits to pace the Jessup offense. Junior Evangelina Chavarria also sparked the dugout by ripping a double to the right-center gap in the sixth inning. In the circle, Korrie Almond took the start for Jessup, but CSUMB's steady offensive output sealed an 8-0 victory in six innings.
Game two saw the Warriors' resilience on full display as they looked to mount a mid-game comeback. After the Otters jumped out to a quick 3-0 advantage, Jessup responded in the third inning to cut into the deficit. Ybarra reached on a fielder's choice that allowed Maliyah Lawson to cross home and later scored on a throwing error from the catcher, 3-2. Ybarra was a sparkplug throughout the evening, using her speed to wreak havoc on the basepaths by swiping a highly impressive four bags in game two.
Alexis Vegas both crossed the plate on a sacrifice fly for Jessup to keep the pressure on the Otters' defense, 9-3. Starting pitcher Nohemi Livingston tossed four innings of work, while Chavarria entered in relief to provide two solid innings to keep the Warriors within striking distance. Despite the late-inning push, Monterey Bay managed to hold off the Warriors to finalize the 9-3 win.
Reflecting on the afternoon, Head Coach Brie Campbell said, "Our bats couldn't get going when we needed them to and we needed to clean it up on defense. Hats off to Monterey. They are a good hitting team and pitched well around us."
However, the team's focus is already shifting entirely to the road ahead. "Big week coming up," Campbell added. "It's back to the lab and looking forward to riding the stretch as we get back into conference play this week with a big series coming up."
Jessup looks to regain their momentum as they head back home to Foskett Regional Park to dive back into PacWest action. The Warriors will host Biola University this Friday, April 10th, for a doubleheader with first pitch scheduled for 3:00 PM.
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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).
