By Don Gilmore, TMU Assistant Sports Editor

Comebacks are not for the faint of heart.

Since that’s the case, The Master’s University baseball team’s nerves must be made of steel.

For the third time in two days, the Mustangs rallied from a deficit late Saturday afternoon to beat Hope International 4-3 in the nightcap, completing a series and a doubleheader sweep of the No. 8 Royals.

“It was so exciting to see us overcome a deficit in every game this weekend,” said TMU head coach Monte Brooks. “We have had many discussions this spring on persevering throughout the game. It was wonderful to witness against a tremendous team.”

The Mustangs’ seventh win in a row improved them to 12-4 overall and 7-2 in the GSAC where they trail front-running William Jessup by a game. TMU is 8-0 at home.

Staying undefeated at Herwaldt Stadium looked problematic after the Royals nicked Mustang starter Nate Bonsell for a solo homer in the second inning and two more runs in the fourth.

Of course, this didn’t faze the Mustangs, who had faced deficits on Friday and earlier on Saturday before rallying for victories.

So, after being three-hit through four frames by Royal starter Guillermo Sanchez, the Mustangs went to work in the fifth.

Ryan Bricker and Josh Robison led off the frame with base hits, and Ricky Sottile, running for Bricker, eventually trotted home on a balk.

Two outs later with Pearson Good standing on third base, Aaron Shackelford hit a fly ball to center field that kept carrying over the fence for a two-run shot that tied the game at three-all. It was the junior’s first homer of the season.

The game stayed at 3-3 through the seventh and the clubs went to extra innings.

After reliever Preston White, making his second relief appearance of the afternoon, held the Royals off the board in the top of the eighth, he made sure he wouldn’t go back out to the mound again.

In the last of the inning, Shackelford sliced a one-out double to right field and was joined on the bases by Max Maitland, who was intentionally walked.

Moments later, White ended it, slamming a double to right-center field that chased Shackelford home with the winning run to set off a jubilant celebration.

White, who has made all eight of his mound appearances out of the bullpen, improved to 3-2.

Shackelford went 3-4 to pace the club’s eight-hit attack while Bricker added two more hits.

The Mustangs take a brief break from GSAC play this Tuesday when they welcome the University of Antelope Valley to Herwaldt Stadium. The first pitch will be thrown at 2 p.m.