The No. 15 University of Redlands baseball team dropped both games of a Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) doubleheader against Occidental College on Saturday in Eagle Rock.
During the opener, the U of R fell in a tight ball game by a score of 2-3 in 10 innings.
For the second consecutive game, senior left fielder Trenton Lively (La Verne, CA) launched a long ball, giving him six extra-base hits on the season at the time. Lively's homer played spoiler against Oxy's freshman starting pitcher Joseph Kiling's no-hit effort.
The Bulldogs' chances looked slim as they headed into the top of the ninth, trailing by a score of 1-2. But once again, Lively got the team going as he laced a single through the left side to lead off the inning. Senior infielder Jason Henning (Redlands, CA) pinch-ran for his teammate, advancing all the way to third on a sacrifice bunt and a wild pitch. Senior third baseman Ben Saunders (New River, CA) stepped up to drive home Henning with a double into left field, making it a tie ball game.
After sitting down Oxy's batters in the bottom of the ninth, Redlands had a chance to put the Tigers away in the top of the 10th when it put runners on first and second with no down but failed to capitalize.
Occidental finished out the game in the 10th frame, taking advantage of several defensive mistakes by the Bulldogs.
Junior starting pitcher Paul Dippel (East Granby, CT) posted a solid outing, giving up just two runs on eight hits with two strikeouts in 5.1 innings of work. Junior Eliot Smith (West Linn, OR) picked up his first Bulldog loss, going 4.0 innings while allowing one unearned run on five hits.
In the second game, UR got up early by posting five runs over the first three stanzas, but it wasn't enough as Oxy fought back to garner the 7-6 victory.
Lively continued to impress in the team's nightcap effort with his second long ball of the day while providing a 2-for-5 performance at the plate.
Additionally, senior shortstop Chase Tucker (Poway, CA) and Henning offered solid numbers in the second game, with each recording a multi-hit, multi-RBI performance.
On the hill, senior pitcher Adam Byrd (Bullhead City, AZ) tossed six innings as the starter. Even though the lefty gave up five runs, only one was earned, as he scattered eight hits with two walks.
Redlands (3-5, 0-3 SCIAC) looks to turn it around on Tuesday when the team hosts international competitor, University of British Columbia (CAN), in an exhibition game at The Yard. First pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m.