LEWISTON, Idaho – (Box Score) Gerald Ceballos kept the Warriors title hopes alive with a two-run home run in the top of the ninth to send seventh-seed Sterling (Kan.) to a 9-7 win over No. 9 The Master’s (Calif.) in elimination play at the 2016 Avista-NAIA Baseball World Series on Monday.

“It was a fun thing to be a part of,” said Sterling head coach Adrian Dinkel. “It’s a tribute to our guys, who continue to fight and make things happen. We made some mistakes to hurt ourselves in that game, but the guys stepped up in big time situations.”

With the win, the Warriors improve to 52-15 on the year and 2-3 all-time at the World Series. Sterling’s next opponent is dependent on the result of the No. 3 Bellevue (Neb.)-No.2 Tennessee Wesleyan and No. 1 Faulkner (Ala.)-No.4 Lewis-Clark State (Idaho) games.

Andrew Dorado, who opened the offense in the ninth inning with a one-out double, was the runner on for Ceballos game-winner.

Left-handed pitcher Kade Wagner, who struggled in his first appearance in this year’s World Series, shut the door on the contest en route to his 13th win of the season. The Riverton, Utah, native allowed one hit and struck out three in two innings of relief.

The junior catcher, who also homered in the first inning, has now hit a five home runs in his last eight games en route to 11 overall. Additionally, Ceballos extends his team-best hitting streak to 20 games. He ended the contest 2-for-3 at the dish with four RBI and a walk.

Sterling, which entered game hitting .301 (22-for-73) through two games, came out swinging in the first inning as Ken Radcliffe sent the first pitch of the game into gap in left-center for a leadoff double. A wild pitch moved the junior outfielder third before a single by Dordao plated him. Ceballos first home-run, which came two pitches later, pushed the Warriors’ lead to 3-0.

With two outs in the third, the Warriors tacked on another run to make it a 4-0 game. A passed ball opened the door in the inning, as the miscue allowed Jake Schimenz to go from first to third. He scored one pitch later when Jordan Espino shot a single up the middle.

The Master’s cut the deficit to 4-2 on a two-run home run by Brandon Van Horn in the bottom of the frame. The dinger is his 11th of the season and second for the Mustangs at this year’s World Series.

A sacrifice fly by David Sheaffer three hitters later made it a one-run game, 4-3.

The Master’s broke through to tie the game, 4-4, in the bottom of the sixth when a Max Maitland ground ball to first skipped off the Sterling first baseman’s glove and into right field to score Jonah Jarrard from second.

Mustang starting pitcher Jason Karkenny cruised through the middle innings, retiring 12-straight Warriors. The run came to an end in the top of the seventh as Aaron Stubblefield singled up the middle. The Kansas City, Mo., native scored two hitters later when Beau Kallas was caught in a rundown between first and second on a stolen base attempt to make it 5-4 in favor of Sterling.

A solo home run by Michael Sexton – his 17th of the season and first at the World Series – a double by Sheaffer and a single by Pearson Good keyed a three-run seventh for the Mustangs. The rally gave The Master’s its first lead of the game, 7-5.

Sterling cut the deficit to 7-6 on a Jordan Espino RBI double. A pair of base running blunders nearly killed the momentum for the Warriors, however Kyle Ulanday delivered with a two-out single up the middle to score Luke Maher from third to tie the game, 7-7.

Sexton, Good, Sheaffer and Nick Covello each had multi-hit performances for the Mustangs.

Aaron Alexander (4-2), who surrendered two runs on two hits in 1.1 innings of relief, took the loss.

The loss drops The Master’s to 42-19 on the season and 4-6 all-time at the World Series.

Stretch Internet, the NAIA’s official video streaming company, is broadcasting the first 15 games of the 2016 Avista-NAIA World Series. An All-World Series package can be purchased for $29.95, while a day pass is available for $9.95. For more information, visit www.NAIANetwork.com.

The Avista-NAIA Baseball World Series is a 10-team, double-elimination event hosted by Lewis-Clark State (Idaho). For more information on the 60th annual event, click HERE.