The University of Redlands baseball team set the tone for its three-game series against the Caltech Beavers with a 14-2 victory on the road in the opening game against the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) foe on Friday afternoon.
Senior shortstop Aaron Singh (Anaheim, CA) continued to produce as the lead-off hitter with a single through the right side to get things going early on. Junior second baseman Andrew Renteria (Van Nuys, CA) also singled and then stole second, while Singh stole third. They both touched home plate before the third out for the first two runs of the contest
In the second frame, junior third baseman Anthony Acosta (Simi Valley, CA) brought in another run off a double to center field for the Maroon and Gray's 3-0 lead.
The Bulldogs broke the game open in the fourth inning with four runs to build a 7-0 advantage. Acosta highlighted the inning with a two-RBI triple to right field. On the next at-bat, Renteria singled through the left side, which brought Acosta home for the final run of the inning.
Acosta registered another RBI in the fifth to aid a two-run inning for Redlands.
In the meantime, sophomore pitcher Chris Fousek Jr. (San Diego, CA) continued to pitch lights out with his third 1-2-3 inning in the fifth inning.
The Beavers made it on the board with two runs in the bottom of the seventh to cut the gap to seven, but the Bulldogs made it through the entire lineup in the top of the eighth to push across five more runs. After first-year first baseman Alex Olague (Renton, WA) scored on a wild pitch, Acosta came through once again with a two-RBI single to left field. Senior first baseman Brendan Moore (Murrieta, CA) and first-year catcher Sammy Diaz (Palm Desert, CA) each followed with doubles, which helped bring in another run. The Maroon and Gray scored once more on a wild pitch to seal the 14-2 victory.
Acosta, who won the SCIAC Hitter of the Week four days ago, remained hot at the plate with four hits, six RBI, and four runs. On the hill, Fousek threw five strikeouts in 6.1 innings pitched.
Redlands (13-15-1, 6-6-1 SCIAC) eyes a sweep against Caltech on Saturday, April 6, with an 11 a.m. doubleheader at the Yard.