After striking out the game's final batter, junior reliever Adam Byrd (Bullhead City, AZ) threw his glove high into the sky and joined his teammates in a dog-pile celebration as the University of Redlands baseball team clinched at least a share of the 2011 Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) championship with Saturday's 12-6 triumph over the visiting Stags of Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Colleges. Following a festive Centennial Celebration that included an outdoor luncheon, plaque dedication of long-time former head coach Paul Taylor and parade of former players, the Bulldogs took care of business in front of an alumni-laden crowd and captured the program's 11th conference crown during the 100th season of Redlands baseball.
With the victory, the Bulldogs sit three games ahead in the SCIAC standings with Cal Lutheran University and the University of La Verne trailing in a tie for second place. Redlands holds the tiebreaker in each series against the Kingsmen and Leopards. If the Bulldogs win one of their final three conference contests, Redlands secures sole possession of the coveted conference title and heads to the NCAA Championships with the automatic bid.
Senior ace Derek Johnson (Canby, OR) captured his conference-leading 11th victory for the Maroon and Gray, tossing seven hard-fought innings against the Stags. After a rough start that included six runs over the first two frames, he found his rhythm and eventually struck out seven batters.
Southpaw Byrd finished out the game for Redlands by allowing only one hit over the final two innings and collected his second save of the season in the process.
At the plate, the Bulldogs smashed CMS' pitching staff en route to 18 hits on the day, including six doubles. Five different Bulldogs registered a multi-hit performance while four notched a multi-run game.
Junior second baseman Cameron Lowe (Olympia, WA) and sophomore third baseman Jason Henning (Redlands, CA) starred in the box with each smacking four base-knocks in the match-up. Lowe brought home a career-high five RBI against the Stags, while Henning slid home safely on three occasions.
Junior first baseman Jon Cavender (Rancho Cucamonga, CA) was perfect at the dish, going 3-for-3 with two walks in addition to just missing out on a home run, which nicked the top of the left-field fence.
Redlands' Nos. 2 and 3 hitters, junior shortstop Chase Tucker (Poway, CA) and senior right fielder Nate Carlson (Portland, OR), both recorded a pair of hits for the Maroon and Gray.
The Bulldogs (26-8, 17-5 SCIAC) jump right back into action as they travel to No. 23 Pomona-Pitzer Colleges on Sunday for a 1 p.m. conference showdown against the Sagehens.
