The Master’s University baseball team closed out its series against the William Carey (MS) Crusaders with a pair of losses Saturday, Jan. 31 at Lou Herwaldt Stadium.

The Mustangs (2-4) lost 6-3 in Game one and fell just short in the comeback bid in the second game.

Game 1

A four-run eighth inning proved Master’s undoing as it fell to WCU 6-3.

TMU led 3-2 going into the top of the eighth, but a costly error led to three of the four runs scored to be unearned.

The Master’s got on the board first when Jack Drew’s single to center scored Isaiah Morales in the bottom of the first.

But the Crusaders answered in the top of the second when another Mustang error led to an unearned run to tie the game at 1-1.

Then in the bottom of the third it was TMU that took advantage of a Crusaders error when Cole Rohlmeier scored on a throwing error.

William Carey then knotted the score at 2-2 in the top of the fifth on an RBI single.

That’s when it was the Mustangs turn to answer as Mat Loyd drew a bases-loaded walk to bring in Drew to put TMU up 3-2.

That then set the stage for the top of the eighth comeback win for the Crusaders.

Mikey Murr and Zach Jenkins each had a pair of hits for the Mustangs. Manny Herrera got the start on the mound and pitched 3.0 innings, allowing one unearned run on two hits while striking out four. Kolby Jensen threw 2.0 innings, Emilion Morales went 2.1 and Murr finished the final 1.2.

Game 2

A furious comeback in the bottom of the seventh fell short as the the Mustangs fell to the Crusaders in the second game of Saturday’s doubleheader.

William Carey led 4-1 going into that final inning. With one out and the bases loaded, Pieper reached base on a fielder’s choice that scored Isaiah Morales. After Murr went down looking for the second out, Emilio Morales reached base safely on a throwing error that scored Rohlmeier. But the final out was recorded with the bases loaded, stranding all three runners and ending the game 4-3.

The game started with William Carey getting two in the first. The score stayed 2-0 until the top of the fifth when the Crusaders added another run to make it 3-0.

But in The Master’s half of the fifth, Morales belted his first home run of the season to make it 3-1. But WCU added another run in the top of the sixth to go up 4-1.

Morales, Drew and Pieper were the only players to get hits in the game, and they each had a pair. Morales scored two and added an RBI.

James Coker was the starting pitcher and went 4.1 innings, allowing three earned runs on five hits and striking out three. Luke Scott pitched the final 2.2, giving up one earned run and two hits with a strikeout.

The Master’s will host Bushnell University (OR) in a pair of doubleheaders beginning Friday, Feb. 6 at 11 a.m., followed by Saturday’s games.

For more information visit GoMustangs.com.