The fourth-seeded University of Redlands baseball team took the lead on two occasions, but the top-seeded Chapman University Panthers always answered back in Friday's game of the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIA)C Postseason Tournament. After forcing the game into the 10th inning, the Panthers mustered the winning run, which sent the Bulldogs home with a tough 6-7 loss.
After three scoreless innings, the Bulldogs jumped on the scoreboard with two runs off a pair of Chapman miscues, but the Panthers immediately responded in the bottom of the frame to even the tally. Both pitchers continued dealing efficient innings, with junior pitcher Andrew Rueter (San Diego, CA) stepping up for the Maroon and Gray. He retired the side in each of the first three innings and then repeated the effort in the fifth.
With one out and one on in the top of the seventh inning, first-year second baseman Jared Anderson (Gilbert, AZ) smacked a bases-clearing triple to the middle of the outfield, scoring junior centerfielder Payton Walsh (Santa Ana, CA) and senior right fielder Cal Bridges (Fremont, CA). Sophomore left fielder Jonah Advincula (Santa Clara, CA) followed suit with a triple of his own to plate Anderson, which resulted in the Bulldogs' 5-2 lead.
Although Chapman sent two home in the bottom of the inning, the Bulldogs went on to stretch their advantage to two runs with an RBI-single from Walsh. After leading off with a single, junior catcher Matthew Brumbaugh (Chula Vista, CA) moved to third on junior shortstop Max Smyley's (Sarasota, FL) single and a wild pitch, setting up Walsh's RBI opportunity.
However, the Panthers eked out single runs in the eighth and the ninth to force the game into extra innings.
A series of base hits and intentional walks allowed Chapman to score the winning run with two outs, sending the Bulldogs home with a 6-7 loss.
Rueter threw 6.2 innings while dispersing five hits and striking out four. Anderson went 3-for-5 at the plate, while Advincula added a 2-for-4 effort to go along with a pair of stolen bases.
Redlands (5-10, 5-7 SCIAC) faces the University of La Verne in Saturday's elimination game at 10 a.m. at Chapman's Hart Park. La Verne lost to Cal Lutheran University, 3-12, in Friday's other game.