REDLANDS, Calif. – The University of Redlands Baseball team had their single game Friday afternoon against Occidental College halted at 9-9 due to darkness.
Before starting extras the coaches and umpires decided to halt the game with a future date to be determined.
The Maroon and Grey were forced to rally late with two runs in the bottom half of the eighth that tied the game up forcing extras.
After two scoreless innings to start the game the Tigers would strike first in the top half of the 3rd using a Bulldog miscue on the infield that led to four runs coming in. The Bulldogs responded though in their next at-bats putting up five runs on five hits to go in front by one. Jared Anderson (Gilbert, AZ) led off the frame with a base hit on the infield. Jonah Advincula (Santa Clara, CA) walked to put two runners on and Mark Kirkland (Redlands, CA) singled through the left side loading the bases. Matthew Brumbaugh (Chula Vista, CA) kept the rally going with an RBI base hit down the left field line and Jake Burgess (Riverside, CA) would follow with a drive into center that plated another. After a two-out RBI walk to Omar Barraza, Payton Walsh stepped in and narrowly missed a grand slam to right by a couple of feet, but did grab a two-baser plating two.
Over the next two innings the Tigers and Bulldogs swapped runs to keep the advantage one. Brumbaugh gave Redlands their second lead in the 4th Inning with a solo shot to dead center and Kirkland would draw an RBI walk in the 5th Inning that moved the score to 7-6. This lead held until the 8th when Oxy rallied with three runs on two outs to take a 9-7 lead. But again UR wouldn't go down without a fight and would scrap their way back even in their ensuing at-bats. After two quick outs the Bulldogs would get back-to-back hits from Anderson and Advincula and that would then lead to a pop-up on the right side from Kirkland, which would eventually drop due to miscommunication by the first baseman and second baseman. This allowed two runs to come in and score deadlocking the game.
Oxy threatened in the top half of the ninth getting the leadoff batter aboard, but an ensuing groundball double play and a pop-up would end their threat. Redlands had a chance to walk-off in their final at-bats with Max Clark drawing a walk and moving into scoring position due to a wild pitch, but was unable to come in after a strikeout would end the inning.
For the game Redlands has used three pitchers. Tyler Reiter (San Diego, CA) got the start and went 5.0 Innings giving up six runs (one earned) on seven hits along with three strikeouts. Jakob Russell (Fontana, CA) came in relief and threw 2.1 Innings giving up two runs on three hits with another three strikeouts and Omar Barraza (San Mateo, CA) would throw the final 1.2 Innings giving up one run and a hit.
Anderson is currently 3-for-5 with two runs scored, Brumbaugh is 3-for-5 scoring twice and driving in a pair, Kirkland is 2-for-5 with a run scored and three RBI's, Walsh is 2-for-6 scoring once, driving in two along with two doubles, and Burgess is 2-for-3 with a run and RBI.
Redlands will now travel to Eagle Rock for a doubleheader against Occidental College tomorrow, Saturday, April 15. First pitches set for 11:00am and 2:30pm.