The University of Redlands baseball team scored at will against Rutgers University-Newark (NJ) on Sunday afternoon in a non-conference game at The Yard in Redlands, winning by a 31-0 final. With the victory, the Bulldogs extend their non-exhibition winning streak to 10.
The record book took a number of hits following the contest's conclusion. Redlands' 31 runs rank as the third-most in a game in program history, while the team's 33-hit total ties the program's single-game record in the statistical category. The 2002 Bulldog team also collected 33 hits when it played Occidental College on March 2, 2002.
Individually, sophomore first baseman Jon Cavender (Rancho Cucamonga, CA) tied the program record for hits in a game with six. Russell Williams went 6-for-7 against Pomona-Pitzer Colleges on April 26, 1997 and is the only other Redlands player to have notched six hits in a game.
The outcome was never in question from the get go, as Redlands scored three times in the first to forebode the offensive onslaught that was forthcoming.
Senior third baseman Michael Lessig (Fountain Hills, AZ) hit a three-run home run in the third to put the Maroon and Gray up, 6-0. The Bulldogs batted around in the fourth, using a seven-run frame to push the count to 13-0. Sophomore rightfielder/centerfielder Marcus Himelhoch (Beaverton, OR) drove in sophomore third baseman Cameron Lowe (Olympia, WA) with a sacrifice fly in the fifth, which served as the inning's lone run.
The floodgates opened even wider in the sixth. Redlands' bats combined for nine hits—equal to Rutgers-Newark's total on the afternoon—and eight runs to move the lead to 22 runs.
The Bulldogs would score four in the seventh and tack on five more in the eighth to spell out the final tally.
Junior pitcher Derek Johnson (Canby, OR) locked down the Scarlet Raiders, pitching seven shutout innings. He scattered six hits and struck out a game-high seven batters. With the win, Johnson moves to 5-0 on the season.
In relief, sophomore pitchers Adam Byrd (Bullhead City, AZ) and Mike Massari (Palmdale, CA) combined to yield just three hits over the final two innings and secured the shutout.
Rutgers-Newark used nine different pitchers. John Kuder shouldered the loss after giving up six runs on five hits and two walks over 2 1/3 innings. Kuder drops to 0-1 on the year with the decision.
Eleven different Bulldogs notched more than one hit. Cavender, batting in the six hole, went 6-for-7 with two RBI and four runs scored to head up the team's offensive success. Junior rightfielder Nate Carlson (Portland, OR) batted 4-for-4 in spot duty, recording two RBI and two runs scored. Himelhoch also posted gaudy numbers, going 3-for-6 with five RBI and four runs scored.
Anthony Yeswita and Matt Connors each registered two base knocks to pace the Scarlet Raider attack.
Redlands (15-2, 10-2 SCIAC) kicks off the California Invitational on Friday at The Yard against Menlo College. The first pitch is set for 9:30 a.m. The Bulldogs then face the University of Puget Sound (WA) at 2:30 p.m. later on in the day.
