REDLANDS, Calif. – The University of Redlands Baseball team extended their winning streak to five games Wednesday afternoon following a 14-11 non-conference victory over MIT at The Yard.
Redlands improves to 11-7, 2-4 SCIAC and have beaten Buena Vista, Macalester, Wesleyan (CT), Occidental and now MIT during this stretch.
The Engineers capitalized on a leadoff triple to start the game to go ahead 1-0, but it was short-lived as the Maroon and Grey would come back to tie things up in their opening at-bats. Mark Kirkland (Redlands, CA) tied the game on an RBI groundout that scored Jonah Advincula (Santa Clara, CA), who reached on a walk before stealing second and reaching third on a throwing error by the first baseman. The Bulldogs then used a five-run second using three hits and two MIT errors to open the game up extending the lead to 6-1. Jared Anderson (Gilbert, AZ) had a hit on the infield that scored the second run, Advincula then reached on a fielder's choice that tacked on another and Kirkland would plate another two with a double to left center.
MIT made it a two-run game in the top of the third after bringing across three runs thanks to a sacrifice fly and a double. After a scoreless 4th and 5th the offense came alive for Redlands putting up seven runs on five hits. Matthew Brumbaugh (Chula Vista, CA) and Gabriel Ceja (Long Beach, CA) started the inning off with a pair of walks. Max Smyley (Sarasota, FL) and Kaiya Saito (Bellevue, WA) would then follow with back-to-back doubles that scored two. Payton Walsh (Santa Ana, CA) kept the inning alive with an RBI walk and Anderson would single through the left side bringing in another. But the inning wasn't done as Kirkland would drive in the sixth run with a single down the right field line. The very next pitch Kirkland would get caught in a pickle, which allowed the runner to come home from third moving the score to 13-4.
After the Engineers cut the lead to seven in the eighth inning off the bat of Finch who hit a solo shot to right center Advincula then delivered in the at-bats for UR tripling home Luke De Vries (Irvine, CA) that made it 14-6. With Redlands' lead seemingly safe, the Engineers mounted a comeback with a pair of extra-base hits and five runs in the ninth inning. With the tying run on deck for MIT, Tyler Reiter (San Diego, CA) got his second strikeout of the inning and halted their comeback attempt as the Bulldogs held on for the win.
The Redlands offense again carried them to the win with 14 runs on 13 hits, coupled with 11 walks and five stolen bases. Anderson (2-for-4, with two runs, three RBIs, and a walk), Advincula (3-for-5, three runs, one run, and one walk), Kirkland (2-for-5 with four RBIs), Smyley (3-for-5, with two runs, and one RBI), Brumbaugh (1-for-3, with a run, and two walks), Saito (1-for-4, with two runs, and an RBI), Walsh (one RBI and two walks), and Ceja (Three walks) all found themselves on base multiple times as the offense was spread throughout the lineup.
It was a bullpen day for the Maroon and Grey going through eight pitchers. Alec Aguayo (Riverside, CA) picked up his first career win after coming in relief of starter Julian Zuniga (San Diego, CA). Zuniga tossed 2.0 Innings giving up a run on two hits. Aguayo then threw an inning giving up three runs on three hits. Cameron Kundig (Redlands, CA), Joe Godoy (Commerce, CA), and Jakob Russell (Fontana, CA) all combined to throw three scoreless innings with three strikeouts as the Bulldogs built a 13-4 lead while they were on the mound.
Redlands returns to conference action this weekend when they take on Chapman University in a three game series. They will host the Panthers Friday, March 25 at 3:00pm at The Yard before traveling to Orange County for a doubleheader on Saturday, March 26.