The University of Redlands baseball team wrapped up the final Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) series of the season with a pair of road losses to the University of La Verne on Saturday afternoon. Despite rallying late in each contest, the Bulldogs fell short by scores of 8-14 and 7-11.
During game one, the Leopards held a 4-0 lead through three innings of action. The Bulldogs cut the deficit in half in the top of the fourth after back-to-back singles and a walk set the stage. With runners in scoring position, sophomore catcher Omar Barraza (San Mateo, CA) reached on a fielding error, which allowed two to score.
Although La Verne pulled one back in the bottom of the frame, Redlands continued to chip away by scoring two runs off two hits in the fifth. Sophomore left fielder Jonah Advincula (Santa Clara, CA) led off with a double and then stole third to put the momentum back in the Bulldogs' corner. He touched home on junior designated hitter/catcher Matthew Brumbaugh's (Chula Vista, CA) sacrifice fly before sophomore first baseman Max Clark (Etiwanda, CA) doubled and scored on a passed ball to make it a one-run game.
The teams traded three-spots in the bottom of the sixth and the top of the seventh, with the Bulldogs gaining a lucrative home run from Clark. He plated graduate student third baseman Anthony Acosta (Simi Valley, CA) and Advincula, who each recorded infield singles earlier in the inning.
However, the Leopards put up six runs in the eighth, which proved too much for the Bulldogs to overcome in the ninth.
Acosta went 4-for-5 with two runs scored, while Clark earned two hits, three RBI, and two runs scored.
In the nightcap, La Verne put the visiting team in another four-run hole. Senior right fielder Brennen Carr's (Chino Hills, CA) solo shot in the top of the fifth and junior shortstop Max Smyley's (Sarasota, FL) run on a wild pitch cut the Leopards' lead in half.
Nonetheless, ULV extended its advantage to nine runs in the sixth inning. The Bulldogs gave it their best effort in the eighth, as Clark doubled for an RBI and Carr blasted a two-run dinger. Unfortunately, the comeback stalled there, sending Redlands home with a pair of losses.
Brumbaugh, Acosta, Carr, and Smyley each recorded two hits.
Redlands completes the regular season with a 5-9 overall mark and a 5-7 conference showing. The Bulldogs will compete in the SCIAC Postseason Tournament on Friday, May 21. The opponent and schedule will be forthcoming.