TMU Insider: Mustang track duo on the map

The Master’s University’s Josh Sherfey, a Hart grad, was named the GSAC’s male Track and Field Athlete of the Month for March. Courtesy photo
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Over the weekend, The Master’s University baseball team won its series against San Diego Christian, while two Mustang track and field athletes swept the Golden State Athletic Conference’s Track and Field Athlete of the Month honors…

Baseball

The Master’s University baseball team improved to 20-18 overall (10-11 in GSAC) after winning its series against San Diego Christian with a 3-0 and 8-5 doubleheader sweep of the Hawks at Lou Herwaldt Stadium on Saturday.

The sweep avenged Friday’s 7-4 series-opening loss to SDCC.

On Friday, the Hawks scored early and often, posting two runs in the first inning and three more in the top of the fourth.

The Mustangs kicked off Saturday’s twinbill with a 3-0 shutout of the Hawks.

TMU drew first blood in the bottom of the third inning when Michael Sexton drove in teammates Matt Janes and Jonah Jarrard with a one-out single to right field.

Three scoreless innings later, Sexton snapped the drought by launching a home run to right field, putting TMU up 3-0.  It was the senior’s fourth homer of the season.

Stingy defensive play, coupled with stellar pitching from TMU starter Aaron Alexander, kept the Hawks quiet for the rest of the game en route to the Mustangs’ victory.

Alexander (6-2) went the distance for the second time in 2017, giving up four hits and notching four strikeouts. Sexton championed TMU’s first-game efforts by going 3-for-4 and driving in all three runs.

In the seven-inning nightcap, the Hawks forged a 2-0 lead with single runs in the first and third innings before TMU responded with three runs in the bottom of the third.

MORE: TMU baseball falls behind early, can’t catch up to San Diego Christian

The Mustangs got on the board after Ryan Bricker, who led off with a walk, eventually stole home. Moments later, Sexton produced a two-run single to center field, driving home Shackelford and Jarrard to put the Mustangs ahead to stay.

An inning later, the Mustangs scored four more runs, capitalizing on three bases-loaded walks and a wild pitch to extend the advantage to 7-2.

After the Hawks scored an unearned run in the top of the fifth inning, TMU got that one back in the last half of the frame when Jarrard’s sacrifice fly to right field plated Jason Karkenny.

Despite the Hawks posting two more runs in the top of the seventh, the Mustangs shut down any chance of a SDCC comeback and moved two games above .500 for the first time since March 11 (14-12).

Sexton went 1-for-3 in the nightcap and tallied two more RBI, while David Sheaffer went 2-for-3 and drove in a run. Scott Savage (2-3) earned the win after posting five strikeouts and giving up seven hits and five runs over six innings of work.

This weekend, TMU will have another chance to climb in the conference standings as the Mustangs host No. 7 and first-place Menlo (12-4 in the GSAC).

Friday’s game will start at 3 p.m. while Saturday’s doubleheader will begin at 11 a.m. Notably, between games of the twinbill, The Master’s University Athletic Department will honor the eight seniors on the team that have contributed both on and off the field.

Track and Field

Based on outstanding performances in March, Josh Sherfey and Morgan Pedrick, two Hart High graduates, swept the GSAC’s Track & Field Athlete of the Month honors.

In March, Sherfey met NAIA qualifying times in the 5,000 meters and the 10,000.

On March 31, Sherfey competed in the first, and fastest, section of the 10,000 at the San Francisco Distance Carnival. He finished the event with a qualifying time of 31 minutes, 14 seconds. Sherfey’s performance also marked a lifetime best.

On March 11, Sherfey competed at the Ben Brown Invitational in the 5,000 where he finished with a qualifying time of 14:55.01.

Notably, in February, Sherfey also met the NAIA’s qualifying time in the marathon after winning the 2017 Surf City Half Marathon. After maintaining a 5:13 average mile time, Sherfey won the half marathon in 1:08:24.

Sherfey is eligible to compete in the 5,000, the 10,000 and the marathon at the 66th Annual Men’s Outdoor Track & Field National Championships from May 25-27 at the Mickey Miller Blackwell Stadium in Gulf Shores, Alabama.

Last month, Pedrick qualified to compete in two different events for the NAIA Women’s Outdoor Track & Field National Championships, also in Alabama.

On March 31, Pedrick competed in the 1,500 at the San Francisco Distance Carnival where she met the NAIA’s “B” standard by posting a time of 4:39.

Then, on March 25, Pedrick helped lead TMU to a NAIA “B” standard qualifying time of 9:24.49 and a first-place finish in the 4x800m relay at the Westmont Classic w/ Jim Klein Multis.

Notably, teammates Ariana Sciarra, Rylee Bishop, and Mikala Fairchild will join Pedrick in the 4x800m relays at the NAIA National Championships.

Earlier in the month, Pedrick competed in the 1,500 in the Ross & Sharon Irwin Invitational where she placed sixth overall with a final time of 4:42.15.

Pedrick also competed in the 800 at the Ross & Sharon Irwin Invitational where she clocked a time of 2:23.68 en route to a 13th-place finish.

Pedrick also competed in the 1,500 on March 10 at the Ben Brown Invitational where she finished the event with a respectable time of 18:30.03.

A year ago in March, Pedrick earned the GSAC’s inaugural Female Track Athlete of the Month award.

This Saturday, Sherfey, Pedrick, and the Mustangs will compete at the Pomona-Pitzer Invitational.

For more information about The Master’s University Athletics, follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at @TMUAthletics

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