Last week, The Master’s University baseball team won two non-conference games at Lou Herwaldt Stadium, while the Mustang track and field program posted a number of outstanding results at the Bryan Clay Invitational in Azusa…
Women’s track and field
Over the weekend, The Master’s University women’s track and field program posted a handful of personal bests and NAIA national qualifying marks at the Bryan Clay Invitational.
On Thursday, Abigail Frankian represented TMU in the third heat of the women’s 5,000-meter run. The race went out hard, and Frankian competed well among the competitive field of 31 runners. Despite struggling late in the race, Frankian managed to hold on and clock an NAIA “B” standard qualifying time of 17 minutes, 44.09 seconds.
Frankian has now qualified to compete in two different events (5,000, 10,000) for the upcoming 37th Annual NAIA Women’s Outdoor Track & Field National Championships from May 25-27 at the Mickey Miller Blackwell Stadium, Gulf Shores, Alabama.
The next day in the women’s pole vault, Madison Cole cleared 2.72 meters on her first attempt and 2.87 meters on her second attempt.
Rylee Bishop displayed a solid performance in the 800 and finished with an impressive time of 2:24.79.
Tess Thompson continued her outstanding campaign as the junior competed in both the 100 and the 200. In the 100, Thompson finished the race in 13.23, while teammate Emily Hess finished in 14.28. In the 200, Thompson set a new lifetime best of 26.84.
Later in the day, Morgan Pedrick, Mikala Fairchild, and Rachael Ingoldsby represented TMU in the 1,500. Pedrick highlighted the Mustangs’ performance as the senior’s outstanding efforts manifested in a final time of 4:35.57.
Pedrick’s time met the NAIA’s “A” standard (4:36.50), qualifying her to compete in the 1500 at the NAIA Women’s Outdoor Track & Field National Championships. Pedrick has also qualified to compete in the women’s 4×800 relay alongside Ariana Sciarra, Bishop, and Fairchild.
Fairchild’s time of 4:39.85 in the 1,500 met the NAIA’s “B” standard. Finally, Ingoldsby finished the event with a respectable time of 4:44.55.
From April 27-28, the Mustangs, who recently ranked 21st in the nation by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association, will compete at the 2017 GSAC Track & Field Championships on the campus of Westmont College in Santa Barbara.
Men’s track and field
The Master’s University men’s track and field program posted a number of personal bests and season bests on Friday at the Bryan Clay Invitational.
In the 400, Jake Ortiz recorded a new season personal record after finishing the race in 51.96. Later in the day, Ortiz set a new season best in the 200 after clocking a final time of 23.54.
Max Hudson competed in the pole vault where he cleared 3.97 on his first attempt and 4.12 (Hudson’s current personal record) on his second attempt. Hudson also competed in the javelin throw were he threw for 42.21 meters.
Finally, in the 1,500, Skyler Mikesell, Tobin Bolter, and Justin Harris recorded times of 4:06.78, 4:04.71, and 4:23.97, respectively.
From April 27-28, the Mustangs, recently ranked eleventh in the nation by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association, will compete at the 2017 GSAC Track & Field Championships at Westmont.
Baseball
Last week, The Master’s University baseball team improved its record to 25-18 after beating Bethesda on Tuesday, and Marymount on Wednesday.
Against Bethesda, Dalton deVries drove in what proved to be the winning run and Robert Winslow came out of the bullpen to pitch three impressive innings in a 9-7 victory. As part of TMU’s 12-hit attack, Max Maitland, Aaron Shackelford, Jonah Jarrard and Matt Janes had two hits apiece.
The next day, deVries drove in three runs and three other teammates had two RBIs apiece as TMU ran away from visiting Marymount 14-5 in a non-conference contest.
The Mustangs outhit the Mariners 11-5 with Jarrard (two RBI), Jason Karkenny (two RBI), and deVries (three RBI) collecting two hits apiece. Notably, based on deVries’ performance last week, the senior was named the Golden State Athletic Conference’s Baseball Player of the Week
On a day when the offense took center stage, the “pitching by committee” strategy was good enough. Five Mustang hurlers took to the mound with starter Aaron Alexander (8-2) picking up the win after putting in three innings of work.
This weekend, the Mustangs look to extend their winning streak when they travel to Costa Mesa for a crucial three-game series against first-place Vanguard.
Friday’s game will begin at 3 p.m., while Saturday’s doubleheader will begin at 11 a.m.
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