The Western Mustangs capped a doubleheader sweep over the Guelph Gryphons with a dramatic 5-4 come-from-behind victory at Dan Pulham Field Monday night in London to clinch first place in the OUA standings at the conclusion of the regular season.

The Guelph Gryphons, falling the last two games to the Mustangs fail to make the playoffs finishing fifth after the end of the regular season.

Trailing 4-3 in the bottom of the seventh inning, the Mustangs rallied to put two runs across, ensuring they will host the OUA's final four postseason next weekend. Paul Lytwynec provided the heroics with a two-out line drive single to centre, which scored pinch-runner Dustin Saracini from second.

The Mustangs had previously knotted the score at four runs apiece when, earlier during Lytwynec's at bat, Saracini and Andrew Thomson pulled off a double steal. In a designed play, Saracini drew a pickoff throw at first base, resulting in a rundown between first and second. Meanwhile, Thomson broke from third base and beat a throw from the shortstop, sliding safely around the Guelph catcher for the tying run.

Western opened the scoring in Game 2 on a sacrifice fly by first baseman Graham Fulton in the third inning. The Mustangs then added a pair of runs the following inning on base hits from Daniel Goldberg and Anthony Dufour.

But the Gryphons mounted a comeback in the fifth off Western starter Adam Paish, who had entered the inning with a no-hitter. Following a pair of singles and a walk, shortstop Steve Fleischer picked up an RBI single to make it 3-1. Two batters later, Rich Horne lifted a bases-loaded single down the right field line to tie the score at three. The Gryphons then took their first lead of the day in the top of the seventh off Western reliever Bryn McDonnell, who got into a bases loaded, nobody out jam. Guelph catcher Justin Interisano lifted a sacrifice fly to right to put the visitors ahead 4-3.

Source: Western