Santa Clarita, Calif. - To say the Firestorm bats were on fire would be an understatement, as Arizona Christian amassed 41 hits and 36 runs to take both of a Saturday double header (19-3, 17-2) and their series (2-1) with The Master's. A 21-hit performance in Game 2 was a season-high for Joe McDonald's squad and tied for second-most in program history. On the defensive side, 10 combined hits is the least allowed in a double header this season.

Before individual accolades are handed out, a couple of team single-season records fell in Game 3. ACU's 473 total runs scored and 418 total RBI shattered program records in both categories (467 total runs scored in 2022, 411 total RBI in 2023).

The series finale was also special for a senior pitcher and outfielder. In his 13th start of 2024, Eli Elliott broke the single-season strikeout record (90, Dean Jackson in 2016) with his eighth punch out of the day in the fifth inning. The very next Firestorm at-bat, Marques Titialii rewrote the single-season RBI record (69, his own 2023 mark) with an RBI-single.

Plenty of other cast members contributed to arguably the best offensive performance of the year. Kane Kiaunis led the way with three home runs and six RBI while three players (Jared Anderson, Sean Garcia, Titialii) tallied four RBI on Saturday afternoon.

Matthew Beckworth added four hits and three RBI to the cause and Trey Tarver (5-for-11) was credited with two of ACU's 15 extra-base hits. In all, nine players recorded at least two hits between the two ball games.

Game 1 starter Eastyn Culp improved to 5-0 on the year with a seven-strikeout, 100-pitch performance in 6.0 innings. Elliott managed his way through at least five innings (5.1) for the 11th time this season and utilized nine strikeouts to achieve his sixth win of 2024 and 17th of his career (third all-time). 

Arizona Christian (14-10 GSAC) secured the third seed in the 2024 GSAC Baseball Tournament (April 29-May 2) and will begin their climb for a conference title against two-seed Jessup (17-7 GSAC).

GAME INFO

Score 1: RV Arizona Christian 19 | The Master's 3
Score 2: RV Arizona Christian 17 | The Master's 2 (7 INN)
Records: RV ACU 30-17 (14-10 GSAC) | TMU 22-18 (8-16 GSAC)
Location: Lou Herwaldt Stadium - Santa Clarita, CA

STAT TRACKER (GAME 1 & 2)

Kane Kiaunis - 4 hits, 6 RBI, 3 home runs
Jared Anderson - 5 hits, 4 RBI, 2 home runs
Marques Titialii - 4 hits, 4 RBI, 1 home run
Sean Garcia - 4 hits, 4 RBI, 1 double
Matthew Beckworth - 4 hits, 3 RBI, 1 double
Trey Tarver - 5 hits, 1 RBI, 2 doubles
Troy Collins - 3 hits, 3 RBI, 1 home run
Jaylen Edmonds - 3 hits, 3 RBI, 1 run
Eastyn Culp - 6.0 IP, 3 RA, 7 K
Eli Elliott - 5.1 IP, 2 RA, 9 K

INSIDE THE BOXSCORE (GAME 1)

With two outs recorded and Titialii on base, Kiaunis got the run parade underway with a two-run home run. Anderson, the very next batter, smashed a home run of his own and gave the Firestorm an early 3-0 lead. Culp did not allow any run damage from the Mustangs in the first.

Quickly, however, The Master's dissolved their deficit. A single (Miles Henderson) and two walks freed up Cason Browell, who cleared the bases with a three-RBI double in the bottom of the second frame.

As it would play out, the Firestorm would add runs in the next six innings and score 16 unanswered. Titialii's two-run shot in the sixth and Troy Collins' three-run bomb in the seventh highlighted the 18 hits applied in that dominant stretch.

Culp and his proceeding relievers, Payton Robertson and Jackson Van Eyk, would only concede three hits in the final seven innings. In their coverage, the trio stranded three on base and sat the Mustangs down in order in three consecutive frames (fourth, fifth, sixth).

INSIDE THE BOXSCORE (GAME 2)

The series-deciding Game 3 did not begin with as much bang, the Firestorm going down in order. Elliott kept it a scoreless game with two strikeouts and a forceout. 

Three singles paid out two runs for ACU in the second inning, Garcia and Edmonds supplying the team a lead it would never relinquish. An Eastham two-RBI double in the third shot the advantage up to 4-0, Elliott picking up strikeouts four and five through three scoreless innings.

Momentum showed signs of switching sides in the fourth, as The Master's Ty Beck cut ACU's lead in half (4-2) with a two-run home run. It came as only the fourth long ball Elliott has allowed in 257 batters faced.

Kiaunis made sure the war for positive energy would be won, converting a lead-off Tarver single with his second home run of the day. Garcia then jumped on another scoring chance, as his double scored two more runs, one of which (Eastham) was aided by the Mustangs' Conor Christiansen committing an error at first base. An Edmonds single brought in Garcia and suddenly the score read 9-2.

Elliott made history in the same inning, ringing up three straight batters and stranding one base runner on his way to setting the single-season strikeout record. 

The Firestorm runs experienced a further growth spurt in the sixth. An eight-hit burst resulted in seven runs and a virtually insurmountable 16-2 lead. Kiaunis and Anderson hammered back-to-back home runs for the second straight game and Titialii established the new single-season RBI record with a single. 

Two ACU pinch hitters (Dylan Petersen and Mackenzie Salmon) took full advantage of their at-bats in the seventh. Petersen first led off with a solo home run, his first long ball in 16 total plate appearances this season before Salmon knocked a single in the pitcher's first hitting opportunity in two seasons with the Firestorm.

Jackson Hohensee and Tarver combined efforts (3 K, 0 hits) to record the game's final five outs.

THOUGHTS FROM COACH JOE MCDONALD

"Today was an amazing day for our club," Coach McDonald said. "We really needed both wins to finish the GSAC strong and we did exactly that with our best offensive performance of the year, high-level pitching and good defense. So many contributors to a great team day."

NEXT FOR THE FIRESTORM

Arizona Christian will make the trip home one final time this season for their third meeting with Park Gilbert (22-23, 10-10 Cal Pac) and Senior Day on Tuesday night. The Firestorm will try for a season-sweep of the Buccaneers and their 21st home win of 2024. First pitch from Greenway High School is set for 7:30 PM. Don't miss a single play with live stats at https://acufirestorm.com/sidearmstats/baseball/summary and watch the broadcast at https://www.gsacsportsnetwork.com/azchristian/. 
    
                          
Roll Storm!