Santa Clarita, Calif. - Arizona Christian soared out to a 2-0 lead, but conceded 10 runs over a four-inning stretch to The Master's to lose grasp of the conference series opener. The Firestorm produced their eighth GSAC game with multiple home runs (two) but two early errors left a deficit (6-2) that proved too much to overcome.
Matthew Beckworth tied season-highs in hits (three), runs (three) and RBI (three) on Friday afternoon. His three-hit day featured a solo home run in the second inning.
Ryan Eastham was seeing the ball well, ending 3-for-5 at the plate for his ninth multi-hit game of 2024. The starting catcher unleashed his fourth long ball of the season in the sixth frame, a two-run bomb that pulled ACU within two at the time.
Jared Anderson matched Beckworth and Eastham with three hits to retake the team's hitting lead (58) on the season. The game's first baseman got the Firestorm on the board with an RBI-single in the first.
Adrian Santa Cruz struck out seven and allowed six runs in his 12th start of the season, a loss bringing his 2024 record to 7-4 (seven wins still tied first in the GSAC).
GAME INFO
Score: RV Arizona Christian 9 | The Master's 11
Records: RV ACU 28-17 (12-10 GSAC) | TMU 22-16 (8-14 GSAC)
Location: Lou Herwaldt Stadium - Santa Clarita, CA
STAT TRACKER
Matthew Beckworth - 3 hits, 3 RBI, 1 home run
Ryan Eastham - 3 hits, 2 RBI, 1 home run
Jared Anderson - 3 hits, 2 RBI, 1 double
Marques Titialii - 1 hit, 1 RBI
Jaylen Edmonds - 1 hit, 1 run
Andrew Ivy - 1 RBI, 3 walks
Adrian Santa Cruz - 2.2 IP, 6 RA, 7 K
INSIDE THE BOXSCORE
A first-inning error by the Mustang's Cason Brownell enabled Trey Tarver to reach first base rather than be the second out. Anderson pounced on the opportunity with two runners aboard and his single brought Kane Kiaunis home. Santa Cruz walked his first batter (Brownell) but retired the next three Mustangs (two strikeouts) to maintain the Firestorm 1-0 advantage.
Beckworth led off the second with a solo home run but ACU's damage was limited to one as three of the proceeding four went down as outs. An error by Kiaunis allowed The Master's Miles Henderson to reach as the lead off man in the second, and the Firestorm would soon pay. A double by Kobe Katayama and single by Conor Christiansen resulted in two runs and a 2-2 tie. As no small consolation prize, Santa Cruz punched out three straight to slam
the door on the inning.
The Firestorm's first scoreless outing was followed by The Master's adding four on three hits and a second error, this time from the center fielder Ivy. Most of the scoring was applied on one hit, as Ty Beck launched a three-run laser off of Santa Cruz and ultimately caused his retirement.
ACU almost completely erased the four-run hole in the fourth inning alone. The first five Firestorm reached (four singles and a walk) to bring in two runs. With two outs recorded, Anderson absorbed a pitch and sent Edmonds through home, as the bases were still loaded.
Despite their lead being trimmed to one (6-5), the Mustangs responded with another three scores in the fourth. When the fifth rolled around, the Firestorm were neutralized and stranded three on the pond.
Reliever Chay Esqueda gave up a pair of singles and walks in the fifth, to see The Master's lead grow to five (10-5). ACU kept it head held high in the sixth as their offense produced three runs (Anderson double, Beckworth single, Eastham home run). Riley Quinton retired the Mustangs in order and suddenly the Firestorm had momentum on their side down 10-8.
The top of the lineup, however, went "three up, three down" and opposition's Ryan Mathiesen pushed in another run (Brownell) by the end of the seventh inning. Hope of a comeback was kept on life support as Beckworth scored one (Tarver) and the Mustangs were blanked in the eighth.
A lead-off walk from Edmonds put the tying run up to the plate, but the top of the Firestorm lineup was retired a second straight time to end Game 1 of the series.
THOUGHTS FROM COACH JOE MCDONALD
"Today was a tough loss for us as we made a couple mistakes early that we haven't made in a while," Coach McDonald said. "However, I love the fight and the no quit attitude that this team has and how much they care for each other. Tomorrow is a big day and we will be ready to go."
NEXT FOR THE FIRESTORM
Arizona Christian looks to scratch out a GSAC series victory on Saturday, with The Master's set to host a mid-day double header at Lou Herwaldt Stadium. Game 1's first pitch is slated for 11:00 AM with the series finale to begin roughly 30 minutes after the first game's final out. Don't miss a single play with live stats at http://naiastats.prestosports.com/sports/bsb/2023-24/boxscores/20240420_zrjg.xml and watch the broadcast at
https://www.gsacsportsnetwork.com/azchristian/.
Roll Storm!
