SANTA CLARITA, Calif. - The ACU baseball team (32-21; 7-7 GSAC) kept its postseason dreams alive Friday afternoon with a doubleheader split at The Master's University (28-17; 6-8 GSAC), losing game one, 17-2 while taking a seven-inning game two, 11-9.

Playoff Picture:

ACU entered its series against TMU needing to win at least three out of four to qualify for the postseason.  Friday's split eliminated TMU from postseason contention, but made the Firestorm's path to the GSAC Championship series a bit tougher as the team must now sweep tomorrow's twin bill at TMU to play for a bid to the NAIA Opening Round.

The Firestorm currently trail OUAZ by one game, and since the Firestorm won the season series between the two teams, they would advance to the championship game.  With a sweep tomorrow, ACU will move on to face the winner of the GSAC West (Vanguard, Hope International, or Westmont) in a three-game series to determine the GSAC champion.  

Game One:

Game one was all-TMU, which overpowered ACU's pitching with 21 hits and 17 runs en route to taking the 17-2 victory.

Starting pitcher Trevor McGee (6-4) took the loss and surrendered nine runs on nine hits, including three home runs while walking three and striking out three in three innings.  Five different relievers combined to close the final five innings and allowed eight runs on 12 hits with one walk and one strikeout. 

Offensively, Justen Burkey continued to shine with a pair of hits and a walk, Robby Campillo went 2-for-3 with an RBI, D'Marcus Guillory doubled and scored a run, Justin Ramirez added a hit and scored a run, and Alec Ortiz finished with one RBI.

Game Two:

The Firestorm rallied from a lopsided game one to take the second game behind 15 hits, but the headline for the Firestorm offense in game two was Campillo, who homered twice and doubled while providing six RBI in a perfect, 4-for-4 performance while also scoring three runs.

Ramirez, Brent Smith, and Roberto Lopez each finished with multi-hit games.  Ramirez scored three runs and Smith doubled and scored two runs.  Randen Garrison and Ramon Miranda each doubled and added an RBI, and Burkey added a hit and RBI.

ACU's Brett Aker (10-1) picked up his tenth win of the season, tying his program record of 10 wins that he set during the 2019 campaign.  He is second all-time in program history in wins (24), trailing his teammate, McGee, by one (25).

Aker went 5-2/3 innings and allowed nine runs on 11 hits with two walks and four strikeouts.  Closer Anthony Defrancesco slammed the door after replacing Aker, allowing just one hit and no runs while fanning a pair of Mustangs in 1-1/3 innings of relief.

Thoughts from Coach: 

"After a tough first game, we bounced back and did what we needed to do with timely hitting and big pitches to win game two.  It sets us up for a big day tomorrow where we have to win to get into the postseason and it will be fun.  I am really proud of this team and each and every one of these guys.  I love them and look forward to coaching all of them again tomorrow."

Up Next:

Coached by Joe McDonald, the Firestorm close their series at The Master's with a twin bill on Sat., April 24 beginning at 11 a.m. Arizona Time in Santa Clarita, Calif.