Santa Clarita, Calif. — William Carey wrapped up its West Coast road trip with a doubleheader sweep of The Master’s on Saturday afternoon. The Crusaders won the first game 6-3 and held off a late rally to take the second 4-3, according to team reports.
Head coach Bobby Halford praised the team’s performance, saying, “This was an important pair of wins for a team that is still coming together. Our starters delivered strong performances, our bullpen provided steady support, and our defense prevented them from putting together any big innings. Offensively, Gage Hinnant, Tyler Ducksworth, Alan McClean, and Jayden Mark — who caught all four games — produced timely hits that made a big difference.”
In the opener, The Master’s took an early lead with an RBI single from Jack Drew in the first inning. William Carey responded in the second, tying the game after a defensive miscue by the Mustangs allowed Taylor Walters to score. The Mustangs regained the lead in the third on an error, but the Crusaders kept pressing offensively. Alan McClean opened the fifth with a double, and Gage Hinnant’s single tied the game at 2-2. The Mustangs answered in the bottom half with a bases-loaded walk, but Carey took control in the eighth inning, capitalizing on multiple errors. Nic Arender’s single and a throwing error allowed Medley to score the tying run, then Cam Senior reached on an error to give Carey the lead. Hinnant’s two-RBI single sealed the four-run inning, and Blaise Lalonde closed the game with three scoreless innings to earn the win.
The second game saw Carey jump ahead early. Ducksworth led off with a solo home run, and Walters drove in another run with a groundout, giving the Crusaders a 2-0 lead after the first inning. The Mustangs threatened but Carey’s defense held firm, with a highlight-reel diving catch from Senior in the bottom half. Momentum shifted in the fifth when Ducksworth singled and Hinnant was hit by a pitch. DeeJay Booth’s base hit loaded the bases, setting up Jayden Mark’s sacrifice fly to extend the lead to 3-0. The Mustangs responded with a solo homer from Morales, trimming the deficit to 3-1. Carey answered in the next inning as Arender walked and Senior doubled, with McClean driving in a run to restore a three-run lead. The Mustangs mounted a rally in the seventh, loading the bases and scoring two runs on a fielder’s choice and an error, but reliever Dylan Wallace induced a groundout to end the threat and secure the victory.
William Carey returns home on Friday, Feb. 6, to host Columbia International University at Milton Wheeler Field. First pitch is scheduled for 2:30 p.m.
