By Don Gilmore, Assistant Sports Editor
Sometimes power and pitching pave the way to victory.

See TMU’s Friday double-shutout, doubleheader sweep of Menlo.

Sometimes it’s not that easy.

See TMU’s disappointing 4-3, series-ending loss to the Oaks.

A last-of-the ninth error spoiled two comebacks by the Mustangs, who still managed to take the season series from Menlo, winning five of the six contests between the two clubs.

“It was a real tight game, high intensity on the road,” said TMU head coach Monte Brooks. “In the end we just fell short and did not execute as well as they did.”

TMU is now 12-11 in the GSAC, where they are entrenched in fourth place, and 20-14 overall.

The Mustangs reverted to Friday form for their first run when Max Maitland slammed a leadoff homer over the right field fence in the top of the third. It was the junior centerfielder’s second roundtripper of the season.

That slightest of leads lasted until the bottom of the fourth when the Oaks scored twice off Mustang starter Nate Bonsell to take a 2-1 advantage.

It stayed that way until the eighth due to Menlo starter Ryan McCarthy’s 6 1/3 innings of one-run ball and TMU’s Eric Williams’ three innings of one-hit relief.

Both were gone, though, in the top of the eighth when the Mustangs tied the game. They parlayed a walk, an error, a fielder’s choice, and Aaron Shackelford’s sacrifice fly into the game-tying run.

In the last half of the frame, though, the Oaks grabbed the lead back off Mustang reliever Preston White, using a two-out double and single to go back in front 3-2.

Back came the Mustangs in top of the ninth, rallying to even the game once again. It came in dramatic fashion when courtesy runner Moises Garcia raced all the way from first base to score on Pearson Good’s single to right-center field.

However, the Oaks used their final at-bat to a winning advantage, using a hit batsman, a wild pitch, and a game-ending error to walk off with the win. White (4-5) was the tough-luck loser.

Kam Quitno and Good paced the club’s seven-hit attack with two hits apiece.

Following a few days off, the Mustangs return to GSAC action on Wednesday when they start a three-game series with San Diego Christian. The first pitch will be thrown at 3:00pm at Lou Herwaldt Stadium.