The Master's University baseball team snapped a 4-game losing streak against No. 8 Hope International University (CA) as they split the doubleheader with a 5-4 win and a 17-3 loss at Lou Herwaldt Stadium at Santa Clarita, Calif. Saturday afternoon.
The Mustangs (18-7, 4-3) kept it close to award the Royals (20-5, 6-1) their first conference loss of the season and their first in nine games. The Mustangs also confidently take second in the season standings, as they look to make progress in the season.
Game 1
The Mustangs erased two separate deficits with two home runs to complete the upset against the Royals and claim the 5-4 win.
Graduate student Carson Ohl started on the mound for the Mustangs, allowing five hits and four runs while throwing three strikeouts in 6.0 innings to get the win. One of those runs came in the first pitch of the game, as the Royals took an early 1-0 lead with a home run to center field.
But the Mustangs were not going away quietly.
Senior catcher Austin Young tied things up with a home run in the first, before a series of sacrifice bunts in the second allowed senior center fielder Kobe Katayama to return home and give the Mustangs a 2-1 lead and their first of the series.
But the Royals fought back, getting two runs in the third inning before firing a home run in the fourth to take a 4-2 lead. But in the fifth inning, with two runners on base, sophomore first baseman Jacob Kowes hit the go-ahead home run to right-center field, allowing the Mustangs to retake the lead.
"We actually hit the ball well." TMU Head Coach Monte Brooks said about the hitting. "We didn't hit enough to expand with runners on… But we had a couple of big blows there and that put us in a position to get ahead."
Senior Gage Webster came on in relief to close for the Mustangs, shutting down the Royals offense by throwing three strikeouts while not allowing a single hit or run in his 3.0 inning assignment to preserve the 5-4 lead and get the save.
For Coach Brooks, the pitching was what helped the Mustangs come out with the win, saying, "The pitching was great. I mean, only five hits off of this team… Ohl and Webster, I'm really proud of them. Very happy with their performance."
Game 2
All good things unfortunately come to an end, as the Mustangs lose the second game of the doubleheader to the Royals 17-3.
Junior James Coker started for the Mustangs and was given the loss, allowing seven hits and nine runs while throwing one strikeout in 2.1 innings.
The Royals were left blank in the first, but immediately fired five runs in the second inning. And with a run allowed in the third inning, Coker was relieved by graduate student Ethan Schmidt, who allowed 10 hits and eight runs while throwing four strikeouts in 2.2 innings.
But to Coach Brooks, the offense was unable to get anything going to fight back, saying, "Their starter is very tough and we didn't get any momentum with him. He just sat us down."
The Mustangs were left blank until the sixth inning, where Jacob Kowes rifled a home run to right field to give the Mustangs three runs.
Sophomore Robert York and freshman Elijah McInturf came on for one inning each to close out the game, with McInturf throwing three strikeouts in his assignment.
The Mustangs have one more game against the Royals and a chance in splitting the regular season series at Lou Herwaldt Stadium on Sunday at 2 p.m.
