LINCOLN, Calif. - The defending NCCAA World Series champions were back at McBean in 2026, and the stacked ball club continued their winning ways, putting together a third consecutive season with a winning record as they finished six games over .500. Five All-PacWest selections, huge moments against nationally recognized DII programs, and a deep core of veteran help led the Jessup Baseball squad to another strong season that the next group will hope to build on in 2027.

The Warriors had their work cut out for them from the start, as their first series would be against Chico State, who were nationally ranked for the majority of the 2025 season and made a deep postseason run in the CCAA. An offensive onslaught and dominant pitching helped Jessup cruise to a 9-1 victory on opening day, showing that the Warriors were indeed back. In Chico the next day, the Wolves would answer back with a 3-2 extra-inning victory, before Jessup would take the series with an 8-4 win. Another bump in the road would come in their opening PacWest matchup against Vanguard, as the Warriors would drop a back-and-forth 16-10 game in the series opener, but they would respond quickly, winning seven of their next nine games against Vanguard, Hawai'i Hilo, and Concordia. This would bring their PacWest record to 7-3 in the early stretch of their season.

After a long homestand, the Warriors packed up and headed on an eleven-day journey to Honolulu, Hawai'i, for eight PacWest games against Hawai'i Pacific and Chaminade. The first leg of the trip did not start well, as the Sharks of Hawai'i Pacific rode early-series momentum to complete a four-game sweep of Jessup on their home field, giving the Warriors losses in six of their last seven games. Once again, the Warriors would rebound quickly, sweeping the Chaminade Silverswords the next weekend, riding an absolute offensive masterclass that saw the Warriors score 53 runs in the four-game series, giving a key momentum shift back to Jessup as they rose back into the top of the PacWest standings.

After the high of Chaminade, another bump in the road was ahead for the Warriors, as a tough stretch in the middle of a crucial slate of games against Biola, Azusa Pacific, and Menlo would leave the Warriors on the outside looking in of a playoff position with time slipping away. The Warriors would drop seven of twelve against these two squads, two coming against Biola, three against Azusa Pacific, and two against Menlo. Despite all their success early on in the season, this was undoubtedly the team's biggest snag yet, and one that looked to be a knockout blow to their postseason hopes. However, as it turned out, the Warriors would once again flip the momentum in their favor.
 
With the season having taken a grim turn, the Warriors loaded up and headed to Santa Barbara for a four-game series against Westmont. With their season on the brink of collapse, the Warriors put together their best effort of the season, sweeping Westmont on their home field over four games. All but one game in the series was decided by one run, with every game being a back-and-forth showdown. The Warriors' pitching staff dominated the weekend, highlighted by a complete game from Kai Hirayama and six shutout frames from Eric Vasser. For their performance in this series, the Warriors took PacWest Team of the Week honors, their second since joining the conference.

Next on the schedule for the Warriors was a series against the Sunbirds of Fresno Pacific. The first two games were played at home in Lincoln, where the offense took flight and scored 28 runs in two games, dominantly taking the first two. Momentum shifted as the series moved down to Fresno, as the Sunbirds stormed back and won the second doubleheader on Saturday, logging two wins that were crucial to their postseason chances, while putting a major dent in Jessup's, leaving them on the outside looking in.

This batch of games would set up an effective do-or-die series at home on the final weekend of the regular season, where nationally-ranked Point Loma would head north to McBean. Unclear at the time what was going to be needed to clinch a spot in the PacWest Tournament, the Warriors projected needing a series win to get in. Game one saw the playoff picture become extremely tight, as the Warriors shocked the PacWest with a 4-3 win over the conference champion and eventual DII World Series qualifier, highlighted by a walk-off home run off the bat of Jayden Montero, sending the team into a frenzy at home plate. The Sea Lions would respond in game two with an 8-0 win, setting up a senior day showdown with everything on the line.

Before the final games of the Jessup Baseball season, 15 seniors were honored before the game and recognized for their incredible contributions to the program over their careers. Seniors Riley Houghtby, Jason Riviello, Eric Vasser, Jordan Cezar, Noah Souza, Cody Antone, Cole Hazel, Hunter Hirayama, Tony Otis, Justin Tsukada, Quinton Hall, Ryan Irvine, Joey Miller, Diego Chavez, and Chris Albee were honored at home plate by fans, family, and coaches before the games began. The Warriors would give the Sea Lions all they could handle in game one, loading the bases in the bottom of the ninth before a clutch double play sealed a 2-1 victory for Point Loma, breaking the Warriors' hearts and effectively ending their postseason hopes. Point Loma would keep the momentum rolling in game four, winning the game 6-2 and the series 3-1.

Following the season, the Warriors had several outstanding performers recognized for their incredible seasons in the PacWest. Senior outfielder Tony Otis was named to the All-PacWest First Team for his phenomenal 2026 campaign. Otis hit 18 home runs and drove in 58 runs en route to his all-conference selection, amazingly ending his two-year Warrior career. Fellow outfielder Quinton Hall was named to the Second Team for his contributions to the Warrior offense. Hall recorded a team-leading .372 batting average, logging 67 hits throughout the season. He also slugged 14 home runs and stole 14 bases, a true testament to his versatile style of play. Three Warriors were also named to the PacWest Third Team All-Conference. Jayden Montero kicked off his Warrior career with a bang, as the redshirt freshman was a defensive anchor at second base, logging 123 assists while hitting .349 at the plate. Cody Antone returned to the All-Conference team for a second year in a row with his Third Team selection, after a phenomenal season where he hit .352, scored 52 runs, and logged 63 hits. Rounding out the All-PacWest selections is freshman Kai Hirayama, who quickly became one of the top arms in the PacWest, evidenced by his selection to the All-PacWest Third Team. Hirayama posted a 4.37 ERA over 55.2 innings, while racking up 48 strikeouts in his first collegiate season.

Outside of the all-conference selections, there were many other remarkable players from the season that contributed to their third consecutive winning season. Alongside a veteran-heavy core, it was the freshman class who stepped up big in multiple key moments throughout the year, providing a great amount of optimism for the years ahead. Alongside Hirayama and Montero, Landyn Plaut, Colby Pudge, and Spencer Nelson were major contributors on the field in their first seasons. Plaut's incredibly hyped first season was backed up and then some, as he logged a .312 batting average, 10 home runs, and 35 RBI. Colby Pudge made major strides in the second half, bursting onto the scene with a .329 average and 28 hits. On the mound, Spencer Nelson is a name to watch in the years ahead, as his 3-inning relief appearance against Fresno Pacific showed what he was made of, as he dominated the Sunbirds, allowing just one hit and striking out three.

While the Warriors' youth was on display all year, so was a solid group of upperclassmen. Highlighted by Otis, Hall, and Antone, the veteran leadership of the 2026 squad was apparent on many occasions. Seniors Cole Hazel and Hunter Hirayama provided huge sparks to the offense in their final years, with Hazel logging 24 hits on a .282 batting average, while Hirayama slugged four home runs and drove in 18 runs. On the mound, senior Diego Chavez led the way, throwing 64.1 innings while logging a 5.74 ERA, racking up 46 strikeouts throughout the year. Out of the bullpen, upperclassmen Joey Guarienti, Caleb Markwith, Joey Miller, and Jason Riviello provided crucial support in the middle games, eating up 89.2 innings and recording a combined ERA of 4.92.

After a third consecutive winning season that fell just short of postseason contention, the Warriors will look to rebound in 2027. Led by eight-year head coach Trevor Paine, an outstanding group of young talent, and a strong group of incoming players, the future of Warrior Baseball is as bright as ever.  
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).