Late home runs sink Mustangs in double-header with Westmont

The Mustangs' hopes of salvaging the first day of this crucial weekend series seemingly hinged on solving the reigning Golden State Athletic Conference pitcher of the week.

After a pair of late solo home runs lifted Westmont to a 6-4 win in Friday's opener, the Mustangs came up against righty Jameson Kruger, who'd recorded nine strikeouts over seven scoreless innings in his previous outing.

The junior enjoyed similar success against TMU.

Kruger allowed one unearned run over seven innings, and a two-run homer by Devin Perez in Westmont's final at-bat propelled the Warriors to a 2-1 come-from-behind win.  

Master's fell to 13-8 overall and 4-6 in GSAC play. Westmont, ranked No. 15, improved to 13-8 and 8-2. The teams will meet again Saturday at TMU's Herwaldt Stadium for a double-header. First pitch is at 11 a.m.

"We just have to play better," said Master's head coach Monte Brooks.

Still, the Mustangs led 1-0 entering the top of the seventh inning in Game 2 because of an exceptional effort from senior right-hander Aidan Stout.

For most of the afternoon, Stout spun curveballs and spotted fastballs and benefitted from stellar defensive plays by Tyler Van Marter at shortstop and Nick Tuttle in center field.

Stout allowed three hits and struck out four through the game's first six innings. He matched Kruger nearly pitch for pitch, keeping the contest moving at a brisk pace on the way to a 1 hour, 45 minute runtime. But Stout walked the lead-off batter in the seventh before Perez lifted a fly ball over the fence in right.

"Aidan threw fantastic," said Master's catcher Byron Smith. "He was locating all three pitches, and with two strikes he was really good at staying away from hitters. He got ahead of hitters and stayed ahead. It's a bummer he got the loss, but I thought he threw great."

It didn't hurt that Van Marter turned an unconventional double play in the sixth, fielding a ground ball at short, diving to tag Taylor Garcia, who had wandered too far off of second base, and firing on to first to get Travis Vander Molen.  

Tuttle made his second diving catch of the afternoon earlier in the game.

The Mustangs' bats, however, didn't provide an equally inspiring performance. Kruger allowed just five hits, two coming in the seventh of an ill-fated comeback attempt.  

"He was quick to the plate," Smith said. "He mixed in and out and off-speed well. For the most part, us hitters put ourselves in bad positions. It was a mixture of both. But we should have gotten to him quicker."

Smith got to Westmont starter Cory Dawson in Game 1, hooking a change-up over the left-field wall for a two-run shot in the second inning. It was Smith's second home run of the season, and Kaleyl Anderson left the yard in the ensuing at-bat to make it 3-0 Master's. The Mustangs built a 4-1 lead by the end of the third inning.

Westmont, however, pieced together five unanswered runs, the final two coming on a pair of solo home runs by Daniel Netz and Perez.

Netz broke a 4-4 tie with his second home run of the game in the eighth, and Perez launched the ball over the right-center fence in the ninth for insurance.

Master's managed two singles against Westmont's flame-throwing closer Bailey Reid in the ninth, but it wasn't enough to avoid the fourth of what is now five straight losses.
What does Brooks hope to see Saturday?

"Better approaches at the plate and we have to make plays," Brooks said. "We've just got to make plays."