— By Mason Nesbitt, TMU Sports Information Director

It was the big-inning of the end.

The Master’s University baseball team surrendered 13 runs in the top of the fifth, the death knell in a 17-4 loss to Benedictine University at Mesa.

The loss –- of the seven-inning variety as part of the 4-Him Classic hosted by Arizona Christian in Phoenix –- dropped the Mustangs to 1-2 in the tournament and 4-2 on the year.

Master’s will close the tourney against Providence Christian College on Saturday morning before returning to California and beginning Golden State Athletic Conference play next week in San Diego. It hopes to end on a higher note.

A bright spot: Preston White continued to hit. His two base knocks gave him at least two hits in each of his last five games.

Jaiden France continued to swing a hot stick too, producing his second straight two-hit performance. Moises Garcia had two hits.

None of it, of course, could prep TMU for the tidal wave that was the Benedictine fifth, when the Redhawks (4-2) scored 13 runs on eight hits and two errors.

The day didn’t start badly.

Master’s took down the College of Idaho in the morning behind a seven-run scoring outburst. TMU opened the day’s second game well, too, with France driving in a run with a single in the first, and Max Maitland plating another run with a sacrifice fly in the second.