Mustangs win game 1 of GSAC Tournament

Tyler Grodell's bases-loaded triple in the bottom of the seventh broke a 3-3 tie and sparked a comeback as The Master's defeated Arizona Christian 8-5 in the first game of the GSAC Baseball Championship Tournament at OC Great Park in Irvine, Calif.

The Mustangs (31-14) banged out 19 hits and threatened with runners in scoring position nearly every inning, but couldn't come up with the clutch hit until Grodell's 3-run triple.

"We had a very good game offensively," TMU Head Coach Monte Brooks said. "We had a couple of opportunities early and didn't capitalize on it, but we didn't let that effect us."

Aftrer giving up a run in the first and third innings to the Firestorm, The Master's got on the board in the bottom of the third when Austin Young hit a solo shot to left-center field to make it 2-1. It was Young's 16th bomb of the year.

After ACU went ahead 3-1 in the fifth, Young came through again, this time a single up the middle to score Batz. The two paired up again an inning later when Young's single to right brought in Batz again to tie it at three.

Then in the seventh, Grodel''s heroics changed the complexion of the game completely. Will Batz followed Grodell's three bagger with a triple of his own that scored Grodell. Batz leads the NAIA in triples with 10 this season.

Cason Brownell drove in Owen Payn in the eighth inning to give TMU an 8-3 advantage. The Firestorm mounted a comeback in the ninth, scoring two and threatening with more when closer Ryan Mathiesen struck out Marques Titialii to end the game.

J.T. Friesen started on the mound for The Master's, going 6.0 innings and allowing three runs (two earned), six hits and striking out a season-high nine batters, while throwing 141 pitches. He was followed by Ian Mortensen, who picked up the win (5-4), and Mathiesen getting his fifth save.

"I thought J.T., even though he threw a lot of pitches, he had a very good outing," Brooks said. "And then Ian was really good, and Ryan got ground balls, they just got through. But then he shut the door. So it was a very good outing and a good win."

Every game of the GSAC Baseball Championship Tournament can be viewed by clicking this link to the GSAC Sports Network.