The No. 23 University of Redlands baseball team completed a three-game series against the Chapman University Panthers in Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) action on Saturday under pristine conditions at the Yard. The Bulldogs struggled to put together a consistently solid performance in either game, ultimately dropping both contests by the final scores of 8-11 and 5-6.
In game one, senior hurler Michael Collins (Upland, CA) climbed the hill for the start. The right-hander was solid through the first two innings of action by blanking the Panthers and recording one punch-out.
The Bulldogs' offense got off to a solid start in the bottom of the first inning after senior left-fielder Mitch Samson (Orangevale, CA) led off the inning with a double down the left-field line. He later came around to score on a sacrifice ground-out off the bat of junior second baseman Christopher Scalisi (Woodlands Hills, CA) for Redlands' quick 1-0 lead.
Unfortunately, Chapman etched a four-spot in the top of the third inning to hand the Bulldogs a 1-4 deficit.
Nevertheless, the Bulldogs responded with poise and power in the bottom of the fourth inning by plating four runs of their own.
After two quick outs, the Bulldogs strung together quality at-bats, beginning with the drawn walk from sophomore shortstop Brendan Gardiner (Mission Viejo, CA). Samson stepped up with a single, before senior first baseman John Keane (Clayton, CA) promptly plated both runners by lacing a double past the first baseman down the left-field line. Scalisi and senior right-fielder Christian Gurrola (Torrance, CA) followed with consecutive RBI-knocks, bringing the score back in Redlands' favor at 5-4.
However, the Panthers responded with another four-run mark in the top of the fifth inning to put the Bulldogs back in a hole at 5-8.
Gurrola kept up the Maroon and Gray's offense in the bottom of the sixth inning by singling to right field to score Samson and trim the deficit to two runs at 6-8.
However, hopes of a late-game rally seemed bleak after Redlands surrendered another three runs over the course of the final three frames. A two-RBI-double off the bat of junior center-fielder Christian Conci (San Mateo, CA) in the bottom of the ninth was not enough to climb over the hump en route to an 8-11 defeat.
Gurrola led the offense with a 3-for-5 mark with two doubles, three RBI, and a run scored, while Samson barreled three hits and scored three runs.
Collins picked up the loss after chucking seven innings and giving up nine runs off 12 hits while striking out a pair of hitters.
In game two, the Bulldogs did not get off to a great start when they allowed the Panthers to plate three runs to begin the contest.
However, Redlands remained resilient and matched Chapman's offensive output with a three-spot of its own in the bottom of the third inning.
Gurrola continued to produce at the dish by sending a sacrifice fly out to left field, allowing Samson to touch home. Sophomore catcher Rainier Aguilar (San Bernardino, CA) wore a pitch off the elbow two batters later to send Conci home. Scalisi crossed home plate on an errant throw from the catcher just plays later, tying the game up at three apiece.
The Maroon and Gray tacked on two more runs in the bottom of the fourth inning, starting with a base-loaded walk issued to Scalisi, which sent freshman shortstop Aaron Singh (Anaheim, CA) home. Gurrola continued to be an RBI-machine by notching a sacrifice groundout to the shortstop, allowing Samson to cross home and hand Redlands a 5-3 advantage.
Junior hurler Kevin Stevens (Highland, CA) settled in after allowing a three-spot in the top of the first inning, as he blanked the Panthers throughout the next five innings while retiring the side in order on three separate occasions.
However, the Panthers tied the ball game up in the top of the seventh and later added the go-ahead run in the top of the ninth, handing the Bulldogs a 5-6 loss for the series sweep.
Redlands was held to four hits in the game, with Scalisi recording two of the four. Senior first baseman Ryan Franklin (Manhattan Beach, CA) and Conci were responsible for the other two hits.
Junior reliever John White (Burbank, CA) was tagged with the loss after throwing 2.2 innings and allowing three hits and a mere run. Stevens recorded eight strikeouts as well.
The Bulldogs (17-10, 10-7 SCIAC) face off against the Caltech Beavers (2-19, 0-15 SCIAC) on Friday, April 8, for the first game of a three-game series in conference action. Game time is set for 3 p.m.
