The Mustang Baseball Program took to the field over the weekend to face-off against Division 2 opponent Adams State. The Mustangs swept the 4-game series including a 9-run comeback in Game 2 that was capped by an EJ Rendon 2-RBI single to walk-off the Grizzlies. The 4-game sweep brings the Mustangs record to 8-5 for the 2019 season. 
 
GAME 1
USW 5---ASU 3
 
The Mustangs had to scratch and claw for the victory in Game 1. The offense scored 5 runs late in the game to give them the lead and they never gave it back. 
 
JJ Kruzel, coming off of his RRAC Pitcher of the Week award, took the ball for Game 1. The sophomore right hander ran into some trouble in the 1^st inning following a couple of bunts by Adams State, but held the Grizzlies to 1 run in the inning. The Little Elm, TX native went 6 1/3 inning allowing 3 runs and 5 hits, while striking out 4 hitters. David Flores came in to relieve Kruzel in the 7^th inning to earn his 3^rd save of the season. 
 
"JJ got off to a slow start again and on a warm day lost his legs a bit. He kept guys off balance and figured out a way to keep us in the game. That's what you want out of your #1." Coach Steve Appel had to say of the performance of Kruzel.
 
The Mustangs scored 2 runs in the 5^th inning thanks to some key at-bats by the bottom of the order. EJ Rendon led off the inning with a single to LF and catcher CJ Aviles laid down a perfect drag bunt (3^rd of the season) to put runners on 1^st and 2^nd for John Magruder. Magruder put down a sac bunt down the 1^st base line to move the runners up and into scoring position. This set the stage for sophomore centerfielder Jacob Harris who came up with a clutch single up the middle, scoring both runs and giving the Mustangs their first lead of the game. 
 
The Mustangs added 3 runs in the bottom of the 6^th inning. Micah Tambur was responsible for 2 of those runs as he drove in Bobby Galindo and Othon Delacruz with a double to left field. John Magruder added another run as he beat out of single in the infield, which scored Tambur from 3^rd.
 
GAME 2
USW 12---ASU 11
 
Friday's Game 2 went down as one of the biggest come from behind victories in program history. Entering the bottom of the 6^th inning, the Mustangs trailed 11-2 with only 6 outs left at the plate. But USW did not panic and took what the Grizzlies gave them. 
 
The bottom of the 6^th inning started off with an EJ Rendon walk, but was followed by 2 strike outs. Jacob Harris drew a walk and Ben Tingen reached via error by the shortstop. Pinch hitter Tariq Levesque then walked, bringing home Rendon and moving up the baserunners. After an Adams St pitching change, Junior Bobby Galindo came to the plate and roped a double to the left centerfield gap which cleared the bases and brought the Mustangs within 5 runs. 
 
In the bottom of the 7^th inning, EJ Rendon struck out to start the inning, but would become extremely important later in the inning. Gabe Valdez then came up and drove a double into left-center and Chris Garcia was hit by a pitch. Jacob Harris and Ben Tingen both drew walks which scored Valdez. Following a Marco Vazquez strike out, the Mustangs were down to their final out still down 4 runs. After a pitching change, Bobby Galindo drew a walk bringing Garcia home. Othon Delacruz came to the plate and allowed Harris to score on a wild pitch. After reaching on an error, Ismael Brenes came in to pinch hit for Micah Tambur, and he too drew a walk. The Mustangs were down 1 with their freshman designated-hitter EJ Rendon stepping up to the plate for the 2^nd time in the inning. The Mustangs pinch ran for Galindo and Delacruz putting some speed on the bases with Axel Arrieta on 3^rd base and Dominic Baca going to 2^nd. With 2 strikes on him, the true freshman sent a pitch up the middle of the infield that squeaked past the diving Adams State shortstop allowing Arrieta and Baca to score and securing a 10-run come from behind victory for the Mustangs. 
 
"I was just living in the moment. It was wise words from my dad and it was a great team effort. We have great chemistry as a team and we come together as one. I think it is what makes us special and we never give up." Freshman EJ Rendon with what he was thinking about before the walk-off hit and why this team is special to be a part of. 
 
Adams State jumped out to the early lead thanks to home runs from Logan Bistrup and Orlando Romero. The Grizzlies scored 3 runs in the 1^st and 3^rd innings off of starting pitcher Kevin Whitaker. The Grizzlies added on 4 runs in the 6^th inning off of reliever Alex Goodman who was making his season debut on the mound for the Mustangs. 
 
Whitaker lasted 3 innings allowing 3 earned run & 5 hits while striking out a season-low 2 hitters. Ezra Acosta came in the 4^th inning and allowed 1 run on 2 hits and 2 hit batters over the 4^th and 5^th innings. Goodman threw in the 6^th inning and allowed 4 runs all with 2 outs while striking out 1 batter. 
 
The winning pitcher, Dio Diaz came in for relief in the top of the 7^th inning and struck out all 3 batters he faced, earning his first career college win on the mound in dominant fashion.
 
Bobby Galindo was the leading hitter for the Mustangs in Game 2 going 2-3 with 4 runs batted in and 1 run scored. Along with his double in the 6^th inning, Galindo also knocked a triple over the head of the Adams State right fielder in the bottom of the 4^th inning. Othon Delacruz was 2-2 and drew 3 walks in the game. 
 
"I will never give up. I don't care if were down 19-0 it's part of me and im passionate about the game. There is always a chance that they can falter which is exactly what happened. We started being patient at the plate and looking for our pitch. That shows what we are like and we are more of a family than any other program that has been here. Coming down 10 runs is fun, they won't ever do it again, but that was a fun one to be a part of." Coach Appel had to say about the 9-run comeback. 
 
 
GAME 3
USW 10---ASU 4
 
The headline of Game 3 was Marvin Galarza looking like his old self from the 2017 season. The redshirt Senior RHP threw the best game of his young season earning his first win of the season. The Puerto Rico native threw 5 2/3 innings and allowed 2 earned runs (4 runs total) and struck out 9 hitters which was more than he had struck out in the previous 2 starts combined. 
 
"Marvin's rhythm, composure and mound presence were totally different today. He went after them today and didn't hold anything back. We spoke earlier in the week and told him "let's go, you got nothing to lose". I didn't want him to give pitches away and that's what made him successful today. We had some errors behind him and he should've been out of the inning, but that's baseball. The overall outing made us very very happy." Coach Appel on his senior righthander coming back to form. 
 
The hero from Game 2 picked up right where he left off as EJ Rendon went 3-4 in the game and scored a run. The Mustangs jumped out to a 5-0 lead after the bottom of the 4^th thanks to a couple of errors and some clutch hits. Othon Delacruz led off the inning with a double to left-field and scored following an error by the pitcher. Later in the inning Ben Tingen hit a sharp groundball to the 2^nd basemen which was booted allowing Rendon and Brenes (pinch-running for Aviles) to score to increase the lead to 3-0. Shortstop PJ Sanchez came to the plate and crushed a fastball down the left-field line scoring Garcia and Tingen. 
 
The Mustangs tacked on another 5 runs in the bottom of the 6^th inning thanks to 7 Adams State errors in the inning to push their lead to 10-4. David Flores who relieved Galarza in the top of the 6^th inning, closed out the game earning his 4^th save of the season which puts him tied for #2 in the NAIA for saves. 
 
 
 
GAME 4
USW 9---ASU 2
 
Sweeping a 4-game series is no easy task and the Mustangs were able to capitalize on 10 Adams State errors to win the 4^th game by the score of 9-2. 
 
The offensive star for the Mustangs in Game 4 was sophomore leftfielder Brian Rodriguez. Rodriguez who was making his first start after an ankle injury on Opening Weekend. Rodriguez wad 3-4 with 4 RBI's, 2 runs scored and 2 doubles. 
 
"I knew the guys were going to keep pushing me for when I came back and I felt really good getting back out on the field. I love our guys, we are a family and have a good connection. It's tough to sweep a team, but with these guys we have, I know we can do anything." Rodriguez with thoughts on his return and the team sweeping the 4-game series. 
 
Orlan Warren got the start for the Mustangs and lasted only 3 innings as he allowed 2 runs, 3 hits and 3 walks. Ignacio Elizalde came in relief following Warren and was dominant once again. Elizalde threw 3 innings without allowing a hit or run, and the only base runners he allowed were 1 walk and 1 HBP. Redshirt senior Axel Arrieta came in for relief in the 7^th inning for his first appearance of the season after his 2018 season was cut short due to a shoulder injury. 
 
 
"The hitter's presence today was much better. They looked like they were on offense, rather than defense on offense. They looked like they had a game plan and learned from yesterday about when to be aggressive and not aggressive. There were a lot of different kids in the box today with the idea that they were going to have success. If you have successful thoughts, you will be successful." Coach Appel had to say about the difference in the offense from Day 1 to Day 2.