Recently announced by the American Baseball Coaches Association of America (ABCA), the University of Redlands baseball team has moved up in the rankings to No. 21 in the nation after being ranked 30th just one week ago. In addition, Redlands is the top-ranked Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) member and the fourth-ranked team in the west region.
Currently riding a six-game winning-streak, the Bulldogs have compiled an overall record of 16-6 with a 9-3 conference mark. Most recently, the Bulldogs went a perfect 4-0 in non-conference action, as highlighted by a doubleheader sweep of the Stevens Institute of Technology (NJ) Ducks by the final scores of 7-6 and 12-6.
Offensively, junior second baseman Christopher Scalisi (Woodlands Hills, CA) helms the attack in his third season as a starter. He has laced a team-high 32 hits - six going for extra bases - to earn a batting average of .390 and an on-base percentage of .485. Additionally, he has only been set down via strikes only twice on the year and has drawn a team-high 15 walks. Senior left-fielder Mitch Samson (Orangevale, CA) follows with 30 base-knocks that include seven doubles and two triples en route to a .345 batting average. Senior third baseman Mark Tumlinson (Anaheim, CA) brings the power to the diamond with a team-high three bombs and has recorded 20 RBI, while senior right-fielder Christian Gurrola (Torrance, CA) has plated a team-high 21 RBI and scored 16 runs.
Sophomore starter Felix Minjarez (Riverside, CA) heads the pitching staff in his second year by boasting a 4-2 record with a team-high 38 strikeouts in 44.1 innings pitched. Senior pitcher Kevin Stevens (Highland, CA) boasts a 3-1 record in a starting role en route to 26 punch-outs recorded. Junior closer John White (Burbank, CA) has been outright dominant thus far by earning a perfect 3-0 record and three saves on the year with 22 strikeouts and a lowly 1.29 ERA in 14 innings pitched.
The Bulldogs return to SCIAC action in a crucial three-game series against the No. 22 Occidental College Tigers to determine first place in conference starting Friday, March 25, in Eagle Rock at 3 p.m.