Sophomore pitcher Derek Johnson (Canby, OR) saved his seventh game of the season as the University of Redlands survived a back-and-forth battle against Whittier College, winning, 10-9, in Redlands on Saturday.

With the save, Johnson tied the program’s single-season record. Todd Browne, the former sole owner of the mark, saved seven games in 1988.

Whittier went up early, scoring one run on three hits. The Bulldogs, however, responded with a two-run showing in the bottom of the inning.

Junior catcher Jefre Johnson (Canby, OR) singled up the middle with two outs, igniting a Redlands rally. J. Johnson sprinted around the bags after a double by senior first baseman Matt Hughes (Westminster, CA) and tied the game up at one apiece. Whittier’s leftfielder then botched a fly, and Hughes rounded third and crossed home plate.

Both pitchers went into cruise control in the middle innings, pitching four combined shutout frames. The Bulldogs increased their lead in the bottom of the sixth with a run off of a J. Johnson solo homer to left.

The seventh inning proved unkind for senior pitcher/first baseman Nolan Nicholson (Fullerton, CA) as he surrendered seven runs, five of them earned, on four hits. Senior pitcher Kevin Bissell (Orange, CA) received the call from the bullpen after Nicholson struck three batters. Bissell honed in while on the mound, tossing one-and-a-third innings while allowing just one hit and no runs.

Down 3-8, the Maroon and Gray cut the deficit to three runs after junior shortstop Zack Braband (Alameda, CA) plated senior pitcher/infielder Evan Dunn (Portland, OR) and senior outfielder Jordan Snider (Temecula, CA) with a double to right.

Whittier’s bullpen could not hold onto the lead in the eighth, however, as Mike Rueda surrendered the tying run and Casey Serna allowed two additional runs to cross.

Rueda walked J. Johnson, Hughes and senior outfielder Corey Vane (Simi Valley, CA), and sophomore outfielder Brandon Owashi (San Diego, CA) pinch ran for Hughes to give the Bulldogs some of its fastest legs on the basepaths. Senior outfielder Matt Goldstein (Lincoln, CA) welcomed Serna with a two-run single to right and Snider pushed across two more with a double to right field. With Dunn on third, Braband ripped a sacrifice fly to center, driving in what would be Redlands’ final run of the game.

Entering the contest with a two-run lead, D. Johnson started off steady, getting two quick outs. John Fugazi, however, would give the Poets life with a double to right, and Spencer LaNoue blasted an RBI single up the middle. D. Johnson secured the win with a called third strike against Ian Bablewski.

Braband posted a game-high three RBI on just one hit while Goldstein and Snider each brought in two. J. Johnson accounted for three of the Bulldogs’ 10 runs.

Multi-hit performances came from J. Johnson, Hughes and Snider while Goldstein and Dunn showed speed, notching one stolen base apiece.

Following a stellar stint coming out of the bullpen, Bissell (2-1) was awarded the win.

Redlands (21-11, 11-5 SCIAC) faces the Poets again tomorrow in an 11 a.m. Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) doubleheader in Whittier.