The University of Redlands baseball program nabbed two wins against Cal Lutheran University in a critical Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) weekend series, taking the first and last games.
Redlands opened up the three-game battle by defeating the Kingsmen on their home turf, 8-7, and then clinched a commanding 9-1 win in Saturday's nightcap. The Bulldogs dropped the second contest late in the ball game, losing 5-6.
On Friday, the Maroon and Gray overcame an early deficit and later broke a 4-all tie to surge ahead by the seventh inning. The Kingsmen fought back but to no avail as Redlands held them scoreless in the final frame.
On the hill for the U of R, junior starter Kyle Hart (Burbank, CA) grabbed his team-leading third victory. In seven solid innings, he gave up four runs on eight hits, walked one and fanned four batters. Senior Brock Jacobo (Yuma, AZ) shut the door on Cal Lutheran while recording his first save of 2012. He allowed just one hit in a scoreless 1.1 innings of work.
Junior Eliot Smith (West Linn, OR) stepped up for the Maroon and Gray in his inaugural start at first base, crushing the Kingsmen pitching with a 4-for-5 performance at the dish with four RBI and two runs. Senior leftfielder Trenton Lively (La Verne, CA) continued his trend of tearing the cover off the ball, going 3-for-5 while crossing home on three occasions.
Overall, Redlands picked up 15 hits with four different players earning a multi-knock effort.
In game three, senior starting pitcher Adam Byrd (Bullhead City, AZ) pieced together a sweet gem, registering seven strong innings with only one run, which came on a solo dinger. While scattering eight hits, Byrd allowed one walk and struck out one Kingsmen.
Senior catcher Landon McMath (Riverside, CA) headlined the club's offensive attack by notching three hits and two runs.
The Bulldogs' Nos. 1-4 hitters recorded all of the team's RBI, with senior shortstop Chase Tucker (Poway, CA) leading the way with three.
In Redlands' lone loss of the weekend, junior pitcher Paul Dippel (East Granby, CT) started the game with a solid outing with just two runs on four hits in five innings.
Sophomore leadoff hitter and centerfielder Alex Scheiwe (Encinitas, CA) set the table for the squad, posting three hits in addition to plating one RBI.
As the lineup's Nos. 2-4 batters, junior Marcus Himelhoch (Portland, OR), Tucker and freshman third baseman Sean McMillan (Redwood City, CA) each nabbed two hits apiece.
Redlands (8-9, 5-7 SCIAC) looks forward to hosting a slew of non-conference opponents at the Cal Invite this week, starting off with fourth-ranked Kean University (NJ) on Friday at 11 a.m. at The Yard.