COLLEGE ROUNDUP : Freshmen Help The Master’s Sweep

Unfortunately for The Master’s College baseball team, Saturday’s doubleheader sweep of 27th-ranked Division III UC San Diego likely came too late to help the Mustangs’ NAIA playoff chances.

But it sure made them feel better about next year.

“A lot of the guys who contributed today were freshmen and younger guys,” Coach Jack Mutz said. “I think this will definitely carry over (to next season).”

Freshman John Maggiora pitched two scoreless innings in relief to pick up the 7-6 victory in the opener and freshman Steve Rogers pitched a three-hitter in a 6-3 second-game victory. Freshmen Dan Prentice and Danny Cato each had three hits in the doubleheader.

As an independent, Master’s needs to be voted into the playoffs, and Saturday’s success improved its record to only 16-16.

“I think our chances now are really slim,” Mutz said. “My goal now is to win 20 games and see what happens.”

If the Mustangs are to win at least four of their remaining five games, they’ll need pitching like they got from Rogers (2-0). The left-hander pitched a seven-inning complete game, striking out six and walking two.

The only rough spot Rogers hit was in the third inning when he gave up a three-run home run to San Diego shortstop Chris Miyake that cut the Mustang lead to 4-3.

Catcher Jim Young said he then told Rogers to be more aggressive with his pitches with a lead.

“I went out and told him, ‘Just throw the ball as . . . hard as you can,’ ” Young said.

Rogers allowed only one hit the rest of the game.

The first game moved quickly through six innings, with the teams playing as though they had planes to catch. The first six innings took 65 minutes, with Master’s holding a 2-0 lead on Matt Henzie’s two-run home run in the second.

Mustang starter Paul Gomez retired 18 of the first 19 batters before the Tritons (16-11) scored three runs in the seventh. The Mustangs scored four runs in the bottom of the inning and San Diego scored three in the eighth, tying the score at 6-6.

Mustang second baseman Jayme Riggio drove in the go-ahead run with a two-out single in the bottom of the eighth. The hit came just after Riggio had disagreed with a called second strike that made the count 0 and 2. He stepped out of the box, grumbled to himself, then stepped back in and ripped Mike Bryant’s fastball up the middle.