Mustangs hit 8 home runs in wins over Menlo

At some point, the numbers began to blend together.

"Incredible day," said shortstop Aaron Shackelford. "Nine homers or something like that."
 
The actual tally was eight, but it made for a staggering power display nonetheless.
 
Three different Mustangs ended the day with at least two homers, and Shackelford went a combined 5-for-8 with two blasts  and five RBI to lead the Mustangs to a double-header sweep of Menlo on Friday afternoon in Atherton, winning 11-7 and 10-6.

Roy Verdejo hit three homers for Master's.
 
The victories ran the Mustangs' season-high winning streak to nine games, highlighted by four straight double-header sweeps.
 
The Master's (21-9-1 overall, 14-6 GSAC) is tied for first place in the conference with Vanguard and Hope International.
 
"We saw really good clutch hitting today," said Mustang coach Monte Brooks. 
 
Shackelford homered in both games.  The program's all-time leader in homers with 48, blew open the opener with a grand slam in the fourth inning that turned a one-run game into a 7-2 lead.
 
It was Shackelford's second grand slam of the season.
 
An inning earlier, Verdejo had hit a solo homer to put the Mustangs ahead to stay.
 
It was the beginning of a big day for the junior transfer, who wound up with three blasts.
 
The second of those, another solo blast to left field, put the Mustangs up 8-4 in the seventh inning.
 
One batter later, it was a five-run game as freshman right fielder Will Batz slugged his first career home run, this one over the right field fence.
 
The three-run frame, capped by a Ryan Bricker RBI double, turned out to be crucial since the Oaks rallied for three of their own to draw within 10-7.
 
The Mustangs got a big lift from Aidan Stout.  The big right-hander was superb in relief, keeping the Oaks off the scoreboard and striking out five over the final 2 2/3 innings to notch his third save of the season.
 
Verdejo's three hits (3-for-4, two RBI) paced the club's 12-hit attack in the opener with Max Maitland, Shackelford, and Byron Smith adding two hits apiece.
 
In the nightcap, the Mustangs jumped to a 2-0 lead in their initial at-bat when Bricker and Smith worked bases-loaded walks.
 
It was the eighth time in the last nine games the Mustangs have scored in the first inning.
 
An inning later, Verdejo was at it again, hitting a two-run homer in a four-run frame that put the Mustangs up 6-2.
 
"I did my best today to stay calm and keep my head clear," said Verdejo on his approach at the plate.
 
Just in front of him, Anthony Lepre had hit a two-run single that snapped a two-all tie.
 
The power appeared again in the third inning when Batz and Shackelford hit back-to-back blasts to create a 9-3 lead.
 
Batz, who batted leadoff in the nightcap, went 2-for-4 and drove in two runs.  He is now 12-for-24 with seven RBI over his last seven games.
 
Shackelford's homer was his 17th of the season, one behind Lepre.
 
Speaking of Batz, Shackelford said, "Will has stuck to a simple approach and seems like he puts the barrel on the ball every time.  Stoked for him.".
 
The Mustangs' final run, a solo homer off the bat of Smith, was noteworthy.  The sophomore's fourth homer of the season, a shot over the fence in left-center field, marked the club's fourth game this season in which the Mustangs have hit four or more home runs.
 
"We're pretty locked in as a team offensively right now," said Shackelford.  "It's been so fun to watch." 
 
The Mustangs will meet the Oaks for another double-header Saturday at 11 a.m.