The Master’s University baseball team needed to win one of the games in its final doubleheader of the regular season to punch a ticket to the GSAC Championship Tournament. The Mustangs got just that on Wednesday, April 23.

The Master’s took a 4-3 loss and a 7-2 win over Benedictine University Mesa (AZ) to split the season series and keep their season alive.

“It was neat to see us win, to get in [the GSAC Championship Tournament],” TMU Head Coach Monte Brooks said after the win. “After the challenges and the injuries and the sicknesses, here we have a chance to keep going.”

The Mustangs also celebrated Senior Day following the win, as the baseball team honored pitchers Carson Ohl, Ethan Schmidt and Michael Chung, catcher Austin Young, shortstop Tommy Gwinn, third baseman Kobe Katayama and utility player Ewan Leonard.

“I’m just really happy for the seniors,” Brooks said about the honorees. “Knowing that this is what had to happen today to get in and they did it. Praise the Lord!”

“They’ve obviously impactful,” TMU Pitching Coach Rob Winslow said about the seniors. “It’s huge. Those guys have been awesome for us just the way they honor the Lord on the field and off the field. They’ve been a massive part of this success.”

Game 1

The Mustangs were unable to fend off a Redhawks comeback, giving up a ninth-inning home run to lose 4-3.

James Coker started for the Mustangs and held the Redhawks to six hits and three runs while throwing four strikeouts in 6.2 innings.

The Mustangs came out to an early 3-1 lead through three innings. TMU put runners on the corners with no outs in the bottom of the first when Jacob Kowes grounded into a double play, which allowed Tommy Stanton to score.

A single by Scottie Pieper got Tommy Gwinn home in the second before a Cason Brownell sacrifice fly got Ty Beck across the plate an inning later.

Carson Knapp would come on in relief with one out left in the sixth, allowing five hits and one run in 2.1 innings. He would be given the loss as the Redhawks mounted their comeback.

It began in the sixth when a single got one Redhawk home to cut their deficit in half. An error in the seventh allowed a Redhawk to claim an unearned run to tie the game before a home run allowed them to take the lead.

“We just fell short,” Brooks said about the first game. “We left a lot of runners on and made a couple of mistakes too.”

Game 2

The Mustangs took control of the final game of the regular season with a 7-2 win over the Redhawks.

Michael Chung started for the Mustangs and was awarded the win after only allowing three hits and one run while throwing two strikeouts in 5.0 innings.

“Michael went out there and he did it,” Winslow said about the starting pitcher. “Great job picking up the team and throw strikes, put up zeros, giving us the best chance to win the ball game.”

Similar to the first game, the Mustangs came out early after a ground out by Gwinn allowed Stanton to score in the first inning. The Redhawks tied it up in the top of the third, but the Mustangs snuffed out any chance of losing the game.

A single by left fielder Owen Payn allowed Kowes and Gwinn to return home and give the Mustangs a 3-1 lead in the third. A Beck triple got Stanton across the plate before a Kowes single brought Beck home in the fourth.

An Austin Young single in the fifth inning got Payn and Pieper home to give the Mustangs a dominating 7-1 lead. Even when the Redhawks scored in the seventh inning, their lead was too large to give up.

Manuel Herrera came on in relief for 1.0 inning, blanking the Redhawks of hits and runs. Ethan Schmidt finished up for the Mustangs, allowing three hits and one run.

“We pitched well today,” Coach Brooks said. “So thankful for the staff. They gave us every opportunity to win… We overcame (the first game) and battled in the second and got some big clutch hits.”

With the Mustangs winning and a tough loss by Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (AZ), the Mustangs will enter the tournament as the 4th seed and will be slated against Hope International University (CA), the 1st seed and the No. 3 ranked team in the NAIA.

The Mustangs will begin the push for a GSAC Championship title on April 28 at Hohokam Stadium in Mesa, Ariz.

For more information visit GoMustangs.com.