Jessup belts 3 HRs in opening-day win

Any questions about whether the Jessup University baseball team would have a national championship hangover were quickly answered Friday afternoon. Behind early power at the top of the lineup and a deep, effective pitching staff, the Warriors opened the 2026 season with a convincing 9-1 victory over Chico State at McBean Stadium in Lincoln. Jessup struck first in the opening inning when Tony Otis homered to center field, giving the Warriors a quick 2-0 lead just three pitches into the bottom frame. Otis struck again an inning later, this time sending a two-run shot to left field to push the lead to 4-0. "I've been thinking about opening day for the past week," Otis said. "And then when that moment came, I got it. I guess I was seeing it like a beach ball today." Chico State scored in the fourth inning on an RBI single by Myles Walton, but Jessup answered two innings later. With the bases loaded in the sixth, Rane Miller drew a walk while pinch-hitting to force home Hunter Hirayama and restore a four-run cushion. Jessup put away the game in the seventh inning when Cody Antone launched a grand slam to right-center field to extend the lead to 9-1. Jessup coach Trevor Paine stressed the importance of the top of the batting order producing, noting the Nos. 1 and 2 hitters drove in eight of its nine runs. "They've got to show up tomorrow like today was great, but championships are won on Saturdays," Paine said. "It's easy to be excited on day one. It's tougher to do it after nine innings when your body's sore. That's what we're focused on." "It energized everyone," Otis said. "I've never been part of a team like this. It's a team-first mentality. Everybody wants everyone to win, and when you succeed for your teammates, it's huge." On the mound, Jessup limited Chico State to three hits. Starter Eric Vasser worked 3 2/3 innings, allowing one run while striking out two. Jason Riviello and Jordan Cezar bridged the middle innings before Joey Guarienti closed the game with 3 2/3 scoreless innings to earn the win in relief. "To eat up those innings from Joey was huge," Paine said. "Every guy we turned the ball over to competed on the mound, and that sets us up really well for (Saturday)." The Warriors enter the season with confidence after winning the National Christian College Athletic Association national title last year, and now that they are officially eligible for the NCAA Division II postseason, they believe they can make another deep run. An influx of talent is expected to make an immediate impact in hopes of leading Jessup back to the postseason, and few players arrive with higher expectations than Lincoln native Landyn Plaut, who was among the national high school leaders in home runs in 2025. Plaut made his collegiate debut batting third in the lineup, collecting a hit in his first at-bat and showing poise beyond his years. Paine said the decision reflected the coaching staff's confidence in the freshman. "He's a different type of freshman," Paine said. "We've seen him hit enough to know batting third isn't too much for him. He's already making adjustments to college pitching, and if there's anyone who can handle being thrown into the fire, it's him." Expectations for the season extend well beyond qualifying for the postseason. "We want to compete for a conference championship, we want to compete in a regional and we want to make a run at it," Paine said. "When we're playing our best, I think we can compete with anyone." "If we're not playing in June, we're disappointed," Otis said. "That's the expectation. We know we can play with the best teams in California and in the nation." Jessup and Chico State split a doubleheader on Saturday in Chico.