Santa Clarita, Calif. — Michael Sexton and David Sheaffer combined for seven rbi in the opener and The Master’s College overcame four errors in the nightcap to sweep visiting Simpson for the second day in a row, beating the Red Hawks 9-1 and 4-3.

The doubleheader sweeps at Lou Herwaldt Stadium handed the Mustangs four straight wins to christen the 2016 season.

Mustang coach Monte Brooks commented on his team’s fast start, saying, “We pitched well today, displayed some clutch hitting, and saw some spectacular plays on defense.  It’s a good start to our season.”

The Sexton-Sheaffer duo wasted no time producing in the opener.  One out after Aaron Shackelford (Murrieta, CA) and Nick Covello (Skillman, NJ) initiated the first inning with consecutive singles, Sexton (Puyallup, WA) singled in Shackelford, who had pulled off a double steal with Covello, and Sheaffer (Mt. Airy, NC) followed with a two-run triple that plated Covello and Sexton for a quick 3-0 lead.

An inning later, the Mustangs made it 4-0.  Shackelford drew a leadoff walk, swiped second base with one out, and raced home when Sexton’s fly ball to right field was misplayed for a two-out error.

That early offense gave Mustang pitcher Brad Lohse (Chico, CA) plenty of cushion and he responded in kind.  Making his TMC debut, the big, senior transfer from Chico State retired the first three batters he faced and set down the Red Hawks in order three more times en route to 6 1/3 innings of two-hit, shutout ball.  He retired 13 of the last 14 batters he faced, struck out five, and walked no one.

His teammates rewarded his effort with more offense, scoring twice in the third inning and three more times in the sixth.

In the last of the third, Matt Janes (Riverside, CA) singled in Tyler Krahn (Abbotsford, BC, Canada), who had walked to lead off the frame, had stolen second base, and advanced to third on an error.  Shackelford extended the lead to 6-0 with a groundout that scored Janes.

After Lohse retired the Red Hawks in order in the top of the sixth, Sexton and Sheaffer went to work again in the home half of the frame.  Following a Max Maitland (Murrieta, CA) leadoff single, a one-out theft of second base, and a Covello hit-by-pitch, Sexton lined a two-run, two-out double and Sheaffer capped the frame and the club’s scoring in the opener by plating Sexton with another rbi hit for a 9-0 lead.

John Brazil (Potter Valley, CA), who replaced Lohse with one out in the seventh, and Zach Wullbrandt (Walpole, NH) combined for one and two-thirds innings of scoreless relief before the Red Hawks spoiled the pitching staff’s bid for a second straight shutout with a run in the top of the ninth.

Sexton, who drove in a game-high four runs, Sheaffer, who added three more rbi, and Maitland all had two hits to pace the club’s nine-hit attack.

After three wins that featured a combined 25 runs, the nightcap featured less offensive fireworks from the Mustangs and the only comeback of the series.

Following a scoreless first frame, the Red Hawks used a Grant Collins’ (Southlake, TX) passed ball in the second inning to take their first lead of the weekend.  However, the Mustangs struck back in the bottom of the second, getting two-out doubles from Lohse and Krahn to knot the score.

Two innings later, though, the Red Hawks went back in front again, taking advantage of two Mustang errors to take a 2-1 lead.

Once again, the Mustangs answered quickly to even the game in the last of the fourth, taking advantage of a Red Hawk miscue and then a passed ball that plated Sexton with the tying run.

Mustang reliever Scott Savage (1-0) preserved the tie when he got the last out of the fifth with a Red Hawk at third base and then his teammates went to work in the bottom of the frame.

Brazil earned a leadoff walk, stole second base, and advanced to third on a Maitland sacrifice bunt.  One out later, Covello was intentionally walked and then promptly stole second base.  That set the stage for Collin Nyenhuis (Vista, CA) who came through in the clutch with a two-run double to center field that gave the Mustangs a 4-2 lead.

That proved to be just enough since the Red Hawks added a run in the top of the seventh against closer Danny Lutz (Phoenix, AZ), who survived an error and a run-scoring single to record his first save as a Mustang.

Lohse, who won the opener with his arm, had two of the Mustangs’ five hits in the nightcap.

After playing four times in 24 hours, the Mustangs get a couple of days off before welcoming Bethesda to Herwaldt Stadium on Tuesday.  The first pitch will be thrown at 2:00pm.