The University of Redlands baseball team split a pair of tight Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) contests against Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Colleges on Sunday afternoon at The Yard. In the first game, the Bulldogs won in walk-off fashion, 7-6, in 10 innings, while the Stags rebounded to win game two by the same score. Combined with Friday's 14-6 triumph, the Maroon and Gray captured the series victory over CMS.
While facing a one-run deficit in the opener, the Maroon and Gray scored three runs in the bottom of the second. Sophomore left-fielder Brennen Carr (Chino Hills, CA) hit the first homerun of his career by roping the opening pitch over the right-field fence for two RBI. One pitch later, first-year catcher Sammy Diaz (Palm Desert, CA) doubled to left center. First-year centerfielder Payton Walsh (Santa Ana, CA) sent him home on a single to right field for the Bulldogs' 3-0 advantage.
In the top of the fourth, first-year pitcher Andrew Rueter (San Diego, CA) threw a clean frame, which set up another explosive inning for the Bulldogs. With two outs and two on, Walsh unleashed a triple over the right fielder's head to bring both runners home. On the next at-bat, sophomore right fielder Cal Bridges (Fremont, CA) singled to left field to push across the Bulldogs' sixth run of the game.
Rueter pitched another 1-2-3 stanza in the sixth, but the Stags scored five runs over the next three frames to force extra innings.
This time, first-year pitcher Chris Hardin (San Bernardino, CA) set the tone with a clean inning in the top of the 10th. Junior second baseman Andrew Renteria (Van Nuys, CA) capitalized on the opportunity and blasted a walk-off double that nearly cleared the center-field wall to secure a 7-6 victory in game one.
Walsh finished the game 2-for-4, with one run and three RBI. Carr also went 2-for-4 while also leading the game with seven putouts with solid defense in left field.
In the second game, CMS held an early 4-0 lead through three innings.
First-year pitcher Cameron Kundig (Redlands, CA) pitched his second 1-2-3 inning of the game in the top of the fourth, which set up six runs for the Bulldogs in the bottom half of the frame. The Maroon and Gray quickly loaded the bases just three batters in, which allowed senior first baseman Brendan Moore (Murrieta, CA) to score on a fielder's choice on the next at-bat. After a sacrifice fly pushed Renteria across, Redlands continued to produce runs with two outs. Walsh, Bridges, and senior shortstop Aaron Singh (Anaheim, CA) each singled to score the next three runs to make it 5-4. Bridges scored on a balk to end a lucrative inning with a 6-4 Bulldog advantage.
Unfortunately, the Stags pulled ahead for good in the top of the sixth to snag a 7-6 win.
On the hill, Kundig and sophomore pitcher Matt Crow (Lake Elsinore, CA) each threw three strikeouts.
Redlands (7-9, 3-3 SCIAC) heads back to CMS for a non-conference showdown against the familiar foes on Friday, March 8, at 2:30 p.m.