REDLANDS, Calif. – The University of Redlands Baseball team closed out their 2022 season Saturday with a doubleheader sweep of Whittier College on Senior Day winning both games by the score of 5-2.
The Bulldogs who saw their SCIAC Tournament dreams come to a close Friday following a win by Cal Lutheran takes the series with Whittier College and finish the year off 22-16-1, 12-11-1 SCIAC.
Prior to the game Head Coach Aaron Holley recognized his seven seniors who were leaving the program, which included Max Smyley (Sarasota, FL), Matthew Brumbaugh (Chula Vista, CA), Mark Kirkland (Redlands, CA), Dylan Ross (Malibu, CA), Cameron Kundig (Redlands, CA), Andrew Rueter (San Diego, CA), and Payton Walsh (Santa Ana, CA).
Game 1 (W, 5-2)
The Bulldogs went ahead in their opening at-bats coming on a sacrifice fly from Kirkland which plated Jonah Advincula (Santa Clara, CA) who reached earlier on a base hit through the left side.
Kirkland came through again with an RBI single in the 5th Inning that drove in Advincula for the second time moving the score to 2-0. But that lead slipped as Whittier's starting pitcher Berber would hit a two-run shot to right center in the sixth that leveled the game.
For the third time in the game Kirkland came up clutch with runners in scoring position this time grounding out on the infield, which was deep enough to score Luke De Vries (Irvine, CA) for the eventual game-winning run. Then in the 8th Inning Redlands would add insurance this time off the bat of Walsh who would connect for a two-run shot to the opposite field moving the score to 5-2.
Starting pitcher Rueter went eight innings strong giving up two runs on five hits, while striking out nine en rout to picking up his third win on the season. His eight innings is a season-high and his nine strikeouts sets a new career-high. Fellow senior Brumbaugh pitched a perfect ninth for his third save of the season.
At the plate Kirkland drove in three runs and reached base safely twice, Advincula added a hit, a walk, and two stolen bases, Brumbaugh had a hit, a pair of walks, and a stolen base and Smyley was the lone Bulldog with a multi-hit game as he added a pair of singles and scored a run.
Game 2 (W, 5-2)
The Poets jumped out in front in Game 2 using a fielder's choice and an error, but saw the game get leveled in the second as the Bulldogs would see De Vries get hit by a pitch, Advincula walk and Jared Anderson (Gilbert, AZ) single through the left field.
The next four innings would go scoreless on both sides as Kundig would hold the Poets to just three hits. Redlands would take advantage of this strong start as Kirkland would grab the game-winning hit in the seventh, which came via a two-run shot to right field that scored Anderson moving the score to 3-1. That same inning Smyley and Omar Barraza (San Mateo, CA) would come up with another two base knocks that scored two more, adding insurance to the Bulldog advantage.
In the eighth Joe Godoy (Commerce, CA) came on in relief of Kundig who left with the bases loaded and nobody out. Godoy struck out the first batter, walked in a run, then got an inning-ending double play turned by Max Clark (Fontana, CA), Anderson, and Kirkland.
Anderson was the Bulldog that had two hits this time, also scored a run, drove in a run, and walked. Kirkland added to his big final series with two more RBIs, Brumbaugh drew a pair of walks, Smyley reached twice with a run and an RBI, and Barraza drove home a run.
On the mound Kundig went seven innings giving up one earned run along with four strikeouts as he collected his fifth win on the season. His seven innings is a season-high. Ross picked up his first save of his career as he threw the ninth and registered a strikeout to close out the win.
The Bulldogs season ends with two wins as they finish with 22, their most since the 2018 season in their first full season since 2019.
