By Mason Nesbitt, Sports Information Director

COSTA MESA — If the Mustangs are going to make a playoff run like last year, they’ll have to do it in similar fashion: by digging themselves out of the Golden State Athletic Conference loser’s bracket.

Master’s fell, 3-2, to William Jessup on Monday in the second game of the double-elimination conference tournament at Dean Harvey Field. The Mustangs will play at 3 p.m. on Tuesday against an opponent yet to be determined.

“We did it last year, we came from the bottom,” said TMU reliever Aidan Stout, whose team won five in a row in the loser’s bracket last season to win the GSAC tournament and ultimately advance to the NAIA World Series. “So we definitely know what it’s like.”

Monday’s second contest was like many games from an up-and-down season. A young Mustangs squad, maybe the GSAC’s youngest, played well enough into the late innings to win.

Jessup’s Austen Swift, the conference’ Co-Player of the Year, hit a towering opposite field blast to right field in the fifth that proved to be the game-winner. TMU’s Preston White gave chase to the wall, but the ball was out of reach, even of his 6-foot-6 frame. It was Swift’s 15th home run of the year.

“I thought I was really close (to catching it),” White said. “I asked the guy behind the fence, and he said a couple feet. So I wasn’t as close as I thought I was.”

That was about the only fantastic defensive play the Mustangs (28-24) didn’t make. White dove and snagged a deep drive to right in the fourth. Later in the inning, Steve Pastora smashed a hanging curveball out toward left. Nick Tuttle backed up, backed up. Watched, waited, jumped and made the catch against the wall.

In the sixth, Max Maitland made a full-extension catch in right center to save a run.

“Phenomenal,” said TMU coach Monte Brooks. “Some amazing plays.”

It was all in hopes of helping the Mustangs complete a comeback for the second time on the day. The Mustangs fell behind 2-0 in the first inning but responded in the second when White shot a double into the gap in right center. Kameron Quitno moved him over with a ground out. Josh Robison walked.

Then Ethan Brandt blooped a single into center to get Master’s on the board.

With Pearson Good up, Brooks deployed a hit and run: Good shot the ball into right field, scoring Robison from second and sending Brandt around to third. It was 2-all.

Stout, who relieved starter Scott Savage in the second inning, kept Jessup off the board outside of Swift’s homer.

The sophomore righty pitched 5 2/3 innings, struck out three and walked two. He allowed just four hits with a little help from his outfield.

“They made so many good plays,” Stout said. “I’m blessed to have them in the outfield.”

But after Master’s rallied in the ninth inning against Hope International on Monday morning, one more surge was too much to ask, especially against All-GSAC closer Tyler Fujimoto.

Fujimoto’s line entering the day: 41 1/3 innings, 48 strikeouts, three walks. He entered with two outs in the eighth and retired all four Mustangs he faced, lifting the No. 1 seeded Warriors into Tuesday’s semifinals against Westmont College.

The Mustangs will play against the winner of Hope and host Vanguard University, TMU’s season on the line.