Head Coach Scott Laverty’s 12 seniors have acquired a
myriad of accolades throughout the years. Now they can add the feat
of winning 100 games to their credit as the University of Redlands
baseball team held off Chapman University, 10-9, in Redlands on
Thursday.
With the win, the senior members captured the 100th victory of
their careers. The 2009 senior class gained its
first triumph as freshmen when the Bulldogs defeated the
University of British Columbia (BC), 10-6, on Feb. 11, 2006.
Redlands started off with a two-run first inning as the Maroon and
Gray pushed two across on four hits. Senior outfielder Matt
Goldstein (Lincoln, CA) scored off of a single to right field by
senior outfielder Cory Vane (Simi Valley, CA) while senior
infielder Tony Stutevoss (Portland, OR) drove in junior catcher
Jefre Johnson (Canby, OR) with another single to right.
Chapman cut the lead in half with one run in the second, but the
Bulldogs exploded for seven runs in the fourth to build up a 9-1
advantage. Johnson lined a bases-clearing double to right field,
plating Goldstein, senior outfielder/catcher Kyle Rizzo (Redlands,
CA) and junior shortstop Zack Braband (Alameda, CA). Redlands kept
the rally going when senior first baseman Matt Hughes (Westminster,
CA) brought in Johnson, and then three batters later, senior
outfielder Jordan Snider (Temecula, CA) tripled to center field,
which scored Vane. Finally, Stutevoss doubled to right field,
driving in Snider.
The Panthers chipped away at the lead with three runs in the
seventh, but senior pitcher/infielder Evan Dunn (Portland, OR) put
the Bulldogs in double digits when he crossed home plate off of a
Goldstein single.
Despite holding a commanding 10-3 lead, the Maroon and Gray faced
an offensive surge from Chapman in the ninth. The Panthers tallied
five runs on six hits before Stutevoss effectively extinguished the
red-hot Chapman offense when he stopped the tying run from scoring
after fielding a routine ground ball and throwing it to first for
the game’s final out.
Goldstein had an outstanding afternoon at the plate, going 4-for-5
with two runs and one RBI. Also notching multiple hits were Dunn,
Stutevoss, Vane and Johnson.
Senior pitcher/first baseman Nolan Nicholson (Fullerton, CA) pieced
together a gem on the hill, picking up his eighth victory of the
season with two strikeouts and just one surrendered earned run in
5.1 innings of work.
Redlands (17-11) faces Caltech tomorrow in a Southern California
Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) contest in Pasadena.
The first pitch is set for 3 p.m.