REDLANDS, Calif. – The University of Redlands Baseball team saw their three-game winning streak come to a close Saturday as they dropped both games of a doubleheader with Lewis & Clark 4-1 and 12-11.
The Bulldogs wrap up their non-conference schedule going 10-5 while moving to 15-12, 5-7 SCIAC.
Game 1 (L, 4-1)
Redlands got on the scoreboard first in their opening at-bats off Jonah Advincula's (Santa Clara, CA) seventh home run of the season. This lead held until the third when the Pioneers tied the game at one with a sacrifice fly. Lewis & Clark then tacked on another two runs in the fourth along with insurance in the fifth as they grew their lead to 4-1, an advantage they would hold the rest of the way as they would keep UR off the scoreboard across the final four innings.
The Maroon and Grey registered just six hits in the game their lowest total since a 6-0 loss at Chapman (Mar. 26) when they had just three. Redlands now drops to 1-10 when they fail to reach the ten-hit mark.
Advincula finished with three hits, a run scored and an RBI, and Max Clark (Fontana, CA) would add two hits being the only two Bulldogs with multi-hit games.
Cameron Kundig (Redlands, CA) threw a solid four innings as the starter, giving up three runs on six hits, but was tagged with the loss dropping to 4-3. First-year Jakob Russell (Fontana, CA) came in relief and gave up just one run on three hits along with a career-high 10 strikeouts across the final five innings.
Game 2 (L, 12-11)
It was a tough start to the second game of the twin bill for the Bulldogs with four Pioneers crossing the plate in the top half of the first. Two of those runs the Bulldogs got back in their opening at-bats. Esteban Nakashima (Riverside, CA) started the frame off reaching on an error by the third baseman, and was moved up after a Jared Anderson (Gilbert, AZ) single through the left side. Both runners advanced on a wild pitch and would later come in on an RBI groundout from Advincula and a sacrifice fly to right from Mark Kirkland (Redlands, CA).
Over the next two innings, the Bulldogs found a way to get another three runs across the plate as they would level the game at five. Payton Walsh (Santa Ana, CA) drove in the first with a sacrifice fly to right that plated Max Clark (Fontana, CA) who started the second inning off with a double to left. The next two runs in the third would come in due to a pair of miscues by the Pios defensively.
This tie wouldn't last long though as the Pioneers would bring across seven runs on five hits in the top half of the fourth as they opened the game up.
After that, the Maroon and Grey started chipping away at the lead beginning with a two-out base knock from Anderson in the fourth followed by a solo shot by Kirkland in the fifth, his first of the season. That same inning Clark would double down the left-field line and would later score off the bat of Matthew Brumbaugh (Chula Vista, CA) who would collect a two-bagger to left-center.
The comeback continued in the bottom half of the eighth with UR bringing across another three runs to get within one at 12-11. Brumbaugh started the inning off with a base hit opposite-field into right. Kaiya Saito (Bellevue, WA) then came in to pinch-hit and would lace a single into left putting two runners on. The very next batter Nakashima would get hit by a pitch, which loaded the bases, and soon after Anderson would drive in one with a sacrifice fly followed by a single by Kirkland that drove in a pair.
Redlands looked to carry the momentum into their final at-bats but would go down 1-2-3 allowing Lewis & Clark to come away with the sweep.
After allowing only four runs but not getting much offensive production in the first game, the Bulldogs suffered their first loss in a game since March 5 (11-10 Loss to La Verne) where they reached double-figures in runs and hits.
Nakashima scored three runs in the game, Anderson went 2-for-3, Kirkland was 2-for-3 with five RBIs, and Clark and Brumbaugh combined to go 4-for-10. Dylan Ross (Malibu, CA) got the start for the Bulldogs and lasted 2.0 Innings giving up five runs (two earned) on four hits. He left with the no decision. Nathan Buchan (Mercer Island, WA) came in relief and threw 1.2 Innings, but gave up four runs on three hits getting tagged with the loss. He drops to 1-1. Andrew Rueter (San Diego, CA) was a bright spot in the pitching staff coming in out of the bullpen throwing the final five innings scoreless, giving up just four hits, while striking out five.
Redlands returns to conference action next weekend, April 15-16 when they open up a three game series with Occidental College. They host the Tigers for a single game on Friday (3:00pm) at The Yard before traveling into Los Angeles for a doubleheader on Saturday (11am/2:30pm).
