The University of Redlands baseball team hosted the Whiter College Poets at the Yard on Saturday for a Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) doubleheader. The Bulldogs split with the Poets, winning the first game, 10-6, but dropping the second game, 5-6.
In game one, the Maroon and Gray fed off of a phenomenal pitching performance by freshman right-hander Matthew Acosta (San Bernardino, CA), who made the second start of his collegiate career. Acosta held the Poets scoreless through the first three innings by pitching to contact and utilizing the strength of the defensive unit behind him. In addition, he recorded two strikeouts in the process.
Offensively, the Bulldogs hopped on the board in the bottom of the first frame, as senior catcher Sean McMillan (Redwood City, CA) singled home senior center-fielder Connor Hancock (Burbank, CA) to grab an early lead.
An inning later, junior third baseman Mark Tumlinson (Anaheim, CA) and sophomore second baseman Christopher Scalisi (Woodland Hills, CA) notched back-to-back, two-out base-hits to keep the inning alive. Hancock cashed in on the two-out RBI-opportunity by slapping a double to deep right-center and plating Tumlinson to expand the home team's lead to 2-0.
The Poets tied the score up at 2-2 in the top of the fourth inning after a single and a defensive miscue. Nevertheless, the Bulldogs responded with an exclamation point after Hancock parked a two-run dinger over the right-field wall in the bottom of the fourth for a 4-2 advantage.
The Maroon and Gray began to pull away in the bottom of the fifth inning by scoring three runs, compliments of a sacrifice fly off the bat of junior first baseman Ryan Franklin (Manhattan Beach, CA) and a single up the middle from Tumlinson. The Bulldogs added three more runs in the seventh after junior right-fielder Tyler Shreve (Redlands, CA) crossed the plate via balk and Scalisi connected for a double to score Tumlinson and Franklin.
Despite a three-run rally by Whittier in the top of the ninth, the Bulldogs collected the 10-6 victory for their second positive outcome over the Poets, following Friday's 6-3 triumph.
While notching his second victory of the season, Acosta (2-0) tossed a solid 7.1 innings, giving up three runs and fanning seven batters. The freshman duo of John White (Burbank, CA) and Adam Stead (Rialto, CA) finished off the remaining 1.1 innings and recorded a combined three strikeouts.
At the plate, Hancock posted a 3-for-5 effort with a homerun, three RBI, and two runs scored. Scalisi notched a 2-for-5 showing with a double and two RBI.
In the nightcap, the Bulldogs struck first with a two-spot in the first frame with sacrifice flies from McMillan and Tumlinson to grab a quick 2-0 advantage.
Senior left-hander Josh Makler (Portland, OR) was handed the start on the mound but struggled after his first inning of work, during which he retired the side. After giving up four runs, he was lifted for senior reliever Michael Collins (Upland, CA) early in the third stanza.
The Poets expanded their lead to 4-2 through four innings of play. But Collins began to settle in for Redlands, keeping the Poets off the board during the fourth through the seventh innings.
Down 2-4 in the bottom of the fifth frame, the Bulldogs' senior shortstop Jordan Dresner (Etiwanda, CA) led off the inning with a double and eventually came around to score off the bat of Shreve. Shreve later crossed home plate on a passed ball, tying up the game at four apiece.
Two innings later, Dresner struck again by uncorking a leadoff two-bagger, before scoring on a laser-shot single to center by McMillan for the 5-4 Bulldog lead.
Unfortunately, the Bulldogs could not preserve their one-run lead, as Whittier's Matthew Macey blasted a two-run homerun to put the visitors up, 6-5. Any final efforts for the Maroon and Gray to rally were dissuaded, eventually resulting in Redlands' first loss of the season.
Despite chucking six solid innings and striking out five batters, Collins (0-1) picked up the loss. Freshman Noah Jones (San Bernardino, CA) tossed a solid ninth inning, during which he fanned a pair of Poets.
McMillan drove in two RBI after going 1-for-4. Dresner recorded a 4-for-5 day with two runs scored.
The Bulldogs (5-1, 2-1 SCIAC) face off against the University of British Colombia (CAN) in an exhibition game at the Yard on Monday, February 16, at 2:30 p.m.
