SANTA BARBARA, Calif. — As Westmont College's Henry Hedeen neared home plate Saturday after his second home run of the weekend, he removed his helmet and shrugged.
Master's had yet to figure out Hedeen or, for that matter, Westmont in what became a 9-4 TMU loss that secured a series win for the Warriors and answered a question dangling for the better part of two weeks: The Mustangs will in fact finish below .500 in Golden State Athletic Conference play for the first time in six seasons.
If there was any consolation to a game when the Mustangs (24-22, 16-19 in GSAC) raced out to a three-run lead in the first inning before their best starter gave it up, it might be that Master's had already cemented a berth in the GSAC tournament later this month — keeping alive hope of a sixth straight trip to the NAIA national tournament.
This weekend, however, has done little for momentum. After a 14-2 loss to the host Warriors (32-14, 24-11) on Friday, the Mustangs let all of a 3-0 lead slip away before 30 minutes had elapsed. Westmont scored four runs in the first.
After TMU starter Scott Savage allowed Hedeen's third-inning home run and a walk, Master's coach Monte Brooks jogged to the mound and brought righty Aidan Stout with him.
Savage, the reigning GSAC Pitcher of the Week, had allowed five earned runs in his previous 20 innings entering the day. He allowed five runs in two-plus innings Saturday.
Stout kept Master's in the game.
"Aidan was great, phenomenal," Brooks said. "He hit spots — up, down. He did great."
The sophomore tossed five innings of two-run relief. He allowed four hits, three walks and struck out six. In the bottom of the fourth, he danced out of danger.
Stout walked a batter and hit a batter to put two on with no outs for three-time All-GSAC pick Michael Stefanic. Stout induced a double play: third baseman Kameron Quitno to Josh Robison to first baseman Pearson Good. Westmont didn't score. Master's was still down 5-3. It inched closer in the fifth.
Aaron Shackelford was hit by a pitch to open the frame. He stole second. He advanced to third on a Max Maitland fly out and scored on Preston White's second RBI groundout of the day. It was 5-4. But the Mustangs would get no closer, Westmont winning for the 17th time in its last 21 conference games.
Josh Robison went 2-for-4 for Master's, which last finished with a losing record in GSAC play in 2011. The Mustangs finished that campaign 27-27 overall and played in the NCCAA World Series.
Master's has since grown accustomed to playing in the NAIA World Series, and its chances of continuing that trend appear in danger.
The Mustangs, in all likelihood, will need to win the GSAC tournament later this month if they are to make the national tournament.
Master's dropped to fifth place in conference with the loss, and would need a win in Saturday's second game and a Hope International loss to Vanguard University to reclaim fourth place.
The Mustangs will play Hope in the first round of the GSAC tournament either way; its just a matter of who will be home team. Saturday, Master's batted first.
The Mustangs opened the first inning with two singles to right field from Ryan Bricker and Shackelford. A wild pitch moved both into scoring position, and White brought in the first run with a groundout.
Quitno followed with a two-out, RBI single to right. Then Moises Garcia lifted the ball to left. The left fielder dove and came up empty. The ball rolled toward the wall, and Quitno scampered around to score from first.
"We've been incredible this year in the first inning," Brooks said, "and then we just don't hit with runners in scoring position the rest of the game very well."
