The University of Redlands baseball team came back from an eight-run deficit on Friday afternoon and scored 12 unanswered runs to capture an exciting Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) victory over Pomona-Pitzer Colleges, 13-9. On a day which saw Redlands record its season-best run total, a number of Bulldogs contributed in big ways en route to the comeback win.
The Maroon and Gray fell behind quickly, and after two innings, trailed 1-7. The Sagehens added two more runs in the top of the sixth inning to extend the advantage to eight.
The Bulldogs then started chipping away at the deficit, starting in the bottom half of the sixth. Sophomore shortstop Jordan Dresner (Etiwanda, CA), senior second baseman Jason Henning (Redlands, CA) and sophomore catcher Sean McMillan (Redwood City, CA) began the inning with back-to-back-to-back singles. Dresner and Henning then came in to score on an error by the Sagehen second baseman, and McMillan eventually came around to cross the plate when senior left-fielder Marcus Himelhoch (Portland, OR) reached on a fielder's choice.
The seventh inning was just as productive as the sixth was for Redlands, and junior center-fielder Alex Scheiwe (Encinitas, CA) started the frame on the right note by belting a sharp single into centerfield. A few batters later, McMillan ripped a base-knock to right field, scoring Scheiwe and freshman third baseman Mark Tumlinson (Topeka, KS). On the play, Henning came around to score as well after the ball got past the Pomona-Pitzer right-fielder.
Now down by just two runs, momentum was with the U of R, and in the bottom of the eighth inning, the Bulldogs kept swinging a hot bat at the plate. With the bases loaded, Tumlinson stepped up and laced a triple down the right-field line, scoring all three Redlands base runners to give the Bulldogs their first lead of the game at 10-9. Dresner mirrored Tumlinson's triple by lining an RBI triple of his own into the right-field corner. A couple of batters later, with runners on at second and third base, McMillan came up with another clutch hit for the Maroon and Gray, finding the hole through the left side of the infield, plating both runners.
Up 13-9, Redlands freshman pitcher John Keane (Clayton, CA) came in to close the door in the top of the ninth and got out of a bases-loaded jam to end the game.
Also throwing important innings in relief, junior pitcher Paul Dippel (East Granby, CT) went 2.2 shutout frames for Redlands and scattered a mere three hits en route to earning the win.
On the day, McMillan led the Maroon and Gray at the dish with a 4-for-5 performance, including four RBI and two runs scored. Scheiwe also provided a big effort at the plate, racking up four hits in his first start of the season. Additionally, Dresner registered a 3-for-5 day at the plate for the Bulldogs.
For the Sagehens, senior center-fielder Eric Munzer (Beverly Hills, CA) led the squad with four hits while freshman third baseman Simon Rosenbaum (Los Altos Hills, CA) notched a team-high four RBI.
Redlands (6-5, 5-2 SCIAC) travels to Pomona-Pitzer tomorrow for a SCIAC doubleheader with the Sagehens. First pitch is scheduled for 11 a.m.
