Only the setting of the sun could put an end to the scoring in Newhall this weekend.
The Master's University baseball team and Arizona Christian combined for nearly 60 runs over the course of a wild, back-and-forth four-game series.
The most dramatic sequence came last.
Down seven runs entering the ninth inning of Saturday's finale, the Mustangs scored four times to climb within striking distance. But with one out and the bases empty, the game was called due to darkness. The 12-9 score was final.
The Firestorm also won Saturday's opener, 15-4, taking the series, three games to one.
"We didn't play well in any facet of the game today," said TMU head coach Monte Brooks. "We kicked the ball on defense, pitched up in the zone and we didn't hit. In the last inning we strung some hits together, but overall we didn't hit. We didn't have timely hitting in particular."
Brooks wasn't interested in wondering whether timely hitting would have continued to materialize in the ninth inning of Game 2 had the sun been convinced to hang around a while longer. Brooks was more concerned with the opportunities his team missed earlier in the day.
The Mustangs (5-3) left seven men on base in each game.
"We had their starter on the ropes and didn't get it done," Brooks said. "We should have exploded for more runs a couple of times."
TMU finally broke through late.
Senior Ryan Bricker started the ninth inning rally in Game 2 with a single. Two batters later, Roy Verdejo blasted a towering double off the wall in right center to drive in two runs. A third run came home when the relay throw got away.
Verdejo eventually scored on a passed ball to cut the deficit to three. But moments later, the game was over.
Verdejo finished 3-for-5 in the second game. Brock Bell was 3-for-4, continuing a torrid series for the senior infielder. In all, Bell produced 10 hits in 13 at-bats. He drove in six runs.
Joel Larsen was 2-for-3 in Game 2. His RBI double in the fourth inning tied the score, 3-3. The Mustangs took a one-run lead later in the inning, but Arizona Christian came back with a three-run fifth to pull ahead for good. ACU's four-run eighth proved to be the difference in the game.
TMU will host Providence Christian on Wednesday at 1 p.m. No fans will be admitted, but live stats and video will be available at GoMustangs.com/Watch.
