The University of Redlands baseball team never trailed in its Friday Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) contest against Cal Lutheran University and emerged victorious, 5-3.

Redlands struck first in the third inning as junior catcher Jefre Johnson (Canby, OR) lifted a two-run home run over the leftfield wall, plating senior outfielder Matt Goldstein (Lincoln, CA). In the fifth, Goldstein’s swift base running enabled him to score the team’s third run off of a single by Johnson to right center.

Sophomore pitcher Derek Johnson (Canby, OR) entered the game in relief in the eighth, and the Kingsmen pushed their first two runs of the game across before D. Johnson forced the third out by means of a groundout to second.

The Bulldogs sealed the win with a two-run ninth as senior pitcher/infielder Evan Dunn (Portland, OR) started the inning out with a double to center. Junior shortstop Zack Braband (Alameda, CA) reached on a throwing error by the pitcher on a sacrifice bunt, and senior outfielder/catcher Kyle Rizzo (Redlands, CA) drove in Dunn in the ensuing at bat with a single to right field. Braband scored Redlands' final run when senior infielder Tony Stutevoss (Portland, OR) doubled to center.

Offensively, J. Johnson, Cardeiro, Goldstein and Rizzo each had multi-hit performances while J. Johnson batted in a game-high three runs.

Senior pitcher/first baseman Nolan Nicholson (Fullerton, CA) received the ball at the start of the game for the Maroon and Gray and returned to form after a rough outing last Friday against Pomona-Pitzer Colleges. Nicholson tossed seven shutout innings while striking out one. With the win, he moves to 7-2 on the season.

Greg Gelber sustained the loss for Cal Lutheran.

Redlands (16-9, 7-3 SCIAC) hosts the Kingsmen tomorrow afternoon in a SCIAC doubleheader. The first pitch of the first game is set for 11 a.m. at The Yard.