The University of Redlands baseball team downed La Sierra University in its season opener, 7-2, on Friday afternoon in Redlands.

Redlands jumped out to a four-run lead in the bottom of the first and tacked on three more in the third, but La Sierra took advantage of a throwing error charged to the Bulldogs in the ninth to erase Redlands' shutout hopes.

After senior pitcher Michael Lessig (Fountain Hills, AZ) struck out the side in the top of the first, senior centerfielder Will Wetmore (Santa Cruz, CA) drew a walk in the Maroon and Gray's opening at bat. Wetmore advanced to third on a failed pickoff attempt, and junior leftfielder Brandon Owashi (San Diego, CA) drove him home with a deep sacrifice fly to left. Senior catcher Jefre Johnson (Canby, OR) punished a pitch in the team's ensuing plate appearance, launching a shot well over the leftfield fence. Sandford walked, advanced to second on a wild pitch and eventually reached home after a single by sophomore third baseman Jon Cavender (Rancho Cucamonga, CA). Graduate student first baseman Matt Hughes (Westminster, CA), whose life on the basepaths during the inning came as a result of a fielding error, scored the final run of the frame when he advanced home on a Cavender stolen base.

Two consecutive errors allowed the Bulldogs to amass three runs in the third. Graduate student designated hitter Brent Sandford (Santa Barbara, CA), junior rightfielder Nate Carlson (Portland, OR) and Cavender all touched home plate during the stanza to give Redlands a commanding seven-run lead.

Both defenses took over in the middle innings as superb infield play kept the score locked in place until the ninth. An errant throw led to both of the inning's runs, but two consecutive strikeouts by senior pitcher Jack Winters (Oradell, NJ) closed the door on the Golden Eagles.

Lessig (1-0) earned the win on the mound, striking out seven over four innings. He also held La Sierra hitless. The bullpen supplied a formidable collective performance as freshman pitcher Kyle Hart (Burbank, CA), sophomore pitcher Jeff Cashmer (Cherry Valley, CA) and Winters combined to strike out eight while surrendering no earned runs.

Dallas McDaniel shouldered the loss for the Golden Eagles, giving up seven runs, two of which were earned, in seven innings of work.

Cavender went 2-for-3, offering the contest's lone multi-hit performance. Hughes plated a game-high two runs off of a single up the middle in the third.

Redlands (1-0) meets up with La Sierra again on Tuesday, Feb. 2, at 2:30 p.m. in Riverside.