The Master's University baseball team took 11-6 and 5-4 wins in their conference opener against Park University Gilbert (AZ) at Tempe Diablo Stadium in Tempe, Ariz. Saturday afternoon.
The Mustangs (16-4, 2-0) and the Buccaneers (8-12, 0-2) began their GSAC regular season races with unfamiliar opponents, as this doubleheader match-up marks the first time both programs have ever played against each other.
Game 1
The Mustangs recorded nine runs in the final two innings to secure the 11-6 win and their first GSAC win of the season.
Graduate student Carson Ohl made his first start for the Mustangs since his injury earlier in the season, keeping the Buccaneers at bay with two hits, one walk and no runs with two strikeouts through his 3.0-inning assignment.
He was relieved by senior pitcher Gage Webster, who only allowed four hits and three runs while getting six strikeouts in 4.2 innings to get his third straight win of the season.
But the Mustangs offense were held to two runs through seven innings, as Buccaneers starting pitcher Hayden King only allowed five hits, two runs and had 11 strikeouts in 6.0 innings.Â
But in the top of the eighth, the Mustangs came out swinging with six runs and four hits to go from a 2-1 to an 8-1 lead. Even when the Buccaneers responded with two runs of their own, that did not stop the Mustangs from recording three more runs in the top of the ninth.
But the Buccaneers kept things close by recording three runs of their own, as graduate student Ethan Schmidt came on in relief and allowed one hit and no runs in 0.2 innings.
Game 2
The Mustangs came back from a 4-run deficit to claim a 5-4 win and the second game of the doubleheader matchup.
Junior pitcher James Coker started for the Mustangs, only allowing the Buccaneers five hits and four runs while getting three strikeouts in 5.1 innings to get the win.
But all four runs Coker allowed came in the bottom of the second, as he stayed on the mound and only allowed two hits for the remainder of his assignment. Meanwhile, the Mustangs offense had a 4-0 deficit to overcome.
They had five innings to complete the comeback. They only needed three.
A wild pitch in the third inning got junior left fielder Zach Jenkins to home. In the fourth inning, junior third baseman Owen Hayes ran home from a sacrifice fly while a walk with the bases loaded got junior pinch runner Owen Payn home.
And in the fifth inning, junior shortstop Isaiah Morales got home with a single by graduate student second baseman Cason Brownell before a single by Jenkins got Brownell home to put the Mustangs ahead in the game.
Junior pitcher Emilio Morales came on in relief for Coker, getting two strikeouts while not allowing a single run or hit in 1.2 innings, as the Mustangs completed the comeback with a 5-4 win.
The Mustangs will ride their momentum into another doubleheader against Park University at Tempe Diablo in Tempe, Ariz. on March 9. The first game will begin at 11 a.m.
