The University of Redlands baseball team won its seventh
straight game Saturday afternoon in Redlands, downing Occidental
College twice in Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic
Conference (SCIAC) action. The Bulldogs took the first contest,
12-5, before eking out a 4-2 victory in the nightcap. Redlands also
defeated Occidental, 4-2, on Friday afternoon in Eagle Rock.
Sophomore pitcher Brock Jacobo (Yuma, AZ) served as the hero of the
doubleheader, inheriting three baserunners and no outs in the top
of the ninth of game two. Jacobo struck out two and forced a
lineout to secure the series sweep.
Redlands' afternoon started with a four-run first in game
one, and the Bulldogs left little doubt from that point forward.
The Maroon and Gray plated one in the second, three in the third
and three in the fifth to go up, 11-1. Occidental cut the deficit
in the sixth and eighth, scoring four runs between the two frames.
Redlands, however, would stamp the victory in the eighth with a run
off of a single up the middle by junior rightfielder Nate Carlson
(Portland, OR).
Freshman pitcher Kyle Hart (Burbank, CA) moved to 3-0 on the year
with the win on the hill. He logged seven innings, struck out three
batters and allowed two runs, both of which were earned, off of
seven hits. Brooks Belter only saw 1 1/3 innings on the mound for
Occidental but shouldered the loss after giving up five runs.
Senior centerfielder Will Wetmore (Santa Cruz, CA) and senior
shortstop Zack Braband (Alameda, CA) each went 3-for-4, providing a
consistent spark for the Bulldog offense. Off of two hits, junior
leftfielder Brandon Owashi (San Diego, CA) drove in a game-high
three runs.
Redlands' lineup combined for 16 hits, while
Occidental's compiled 11.
A polar opposite of the 2 hour, 49 minute offensive marathon from
the first tilt of the day, game two featured stellar pitching and
defense from both squads.
Wetmore doubled down the rightfield line to start out the bottom of
the first, and Owashi brought him in off of a double in the ensuing
at bat to put Redlands up early.
The Tigers answered in the top of the fourth when Tyler Eyrich
singled to drive in Jason Jebbia. Jebbia then beat out a play at
the plate to tie the score at one apiece.
With the winds starting to pick up in the home half of the fourth,
senior catcher Jefre Johnson (Canby, OR) lifted a solo shot over
the netting behind the leftfield wall, while sophomore first
baseman Jon Cavender (Rancho Cucamonga, CA) pushed across senior
rightfielder/first baseman Michael Lessig (Fountain Hills, AZ) two
at bats later as Redlands recaptured the momentum.
The Bulldogs added an insurance run in the eighth after J. Johnson
came around to score on a base knock by sophomore second baseman
Chase Tucker (Poway, CA).
Occidental's Pedro Aldape ripped a home run to left-center to
lead off the top of the ninth, and Eyrich doubled down the
leftfield line to set the table for the potential game-tying run
for the Tigers. Glenn Gray was then hit by a pitch, while Malachi
Krishok reached on a bunt single to load the bases. Head Coach
Scott Laverty called upon Jacobo to clean up the situation out of
the bullpen, and he did so in spades. Jacobo struck out Cory
Popham, forced Daniel Kelley into a lineout and fanned Logan Allen
to preserve the lead, win and sweep for the Bulldogs.
Junior pitcher Derek Johnson (Canby, OR) pitched admirably for the
Maroon and Gray despite his missteps in the ninth, going eight full
innings while allowing just two runs, both of which were earned.
Johnson also collected an impressive 10 strikeouts in the outing.
He advances to 4-0 on the season with the winning decision. Stephen
Hilliard took the loss, tossing 5 1/3 innings while yielding three
runs, all of which were earned.
A quartet of Bulldog hitters registered three-quarters of the
team's offensive production in the twinbill's back end.
Wetmore went 2-for-4 with one run scored, Owashi went 2-for-4 with
one RBI, J. Johnson went 2-for-2 with two runs scored and one RBI,
and Tucker went 2-for-4 with one RBI.
Redlands (12-2, 10-2 SCIAC) now sets its sights on a challenging
slate of non-conference bouts over the next two weeks. The Bulldogs
continue their 10-game home stand on Friday (March 12) when they
match up with Rutgers University-Newark (NJ) at 2:30 p.m. at The
Yard.
