Led by senior pitcher Eliot Smith (West Linn, OR), the University of Redlands baseball team topped Cal Lutheran on Friday afternoon at The Yard, 7-3. In a rainy affair, the Bulldogs jumped on top early and never looked back en route to the important Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) victory.
Freshman third baseman Mark Tumlinson (Topeka, KS) got things started in the bottom of the first for Redlands, lacing a single into centerfield. Sophomore shortstop Jordan Dresner (Etiwanda, CA) followed that up with a single of his own to right field. Senior second baseman Jason Henning (Redlands, CA) then looped an RBI single to the right side, scoring Tumlinson. Two batters later, junior center-fielder Alex Scheiwe (Encinitas, CA) continued the early momentum by a ripping a single to left field, scoring both Henning and Dresner to make it a 3-0 U of R lead.
On the mound for the Bulldogs, Smith cruised through the first five innings while not allowing any hits. In the bottom of the fifth, the Maroon and Gray used a heads-up play to pick up another run. After a Redlands base runner was picked off at first, Henning scored from third during the play to make it a four-run advantage.
The no-hit bid was broken up in the sixth when Cal Lutheran tallied three hits and two runs, but that was all they would get in the inning.
Redlands responded immediately with two runs of its own in the bottom half of the frame. Senior left-fielder Marcus Himelhoch (Portland, OR) had the big hit of the inning when he lined an RBI double down the left-field line, scoring freshman catcher Christian Heideger (Shoreline, WA) on the play.
With a 7-2 lead going into the top of the ninth, Smith took the mound once more. After giving up a hit, however, he gave way to sophomore pitcher Josh Makler (Portland, OR). Makler did allow the leadoff hitter to come around and score, but was able to get out of a bases-loaded jam by striking out the final batter of the game, securing the victory.
Sensational from the hill, Smith went 8.0 innings while distributing six hits and allowing three runs, only one of which was earned. He also registered 10 strikeouts in his third win of the campaign.
At the dish, Scheiwe and Henning notched three hits and two RBI apiece. Additionally, Tumlinson and Dresner each registered a multi-hit game with two hits each.
For the Kingsmen, junior pitcher Jake Petersen (Thousand Oaks, CA) went the distance, allowing 13 hits and seven runs, five of which were earned.
The Bulldogs (7-7, 6-4 SCIAC) travel to Cal Lutheran tomorrow for a doubleheader with the Kingsmen. First pitch is scheduled for 11 a.m.
