REDLANDS, Calif. – The University of Redlands Baseball team (11-10, 3-5) won their return to The Yard Thursday afternoon as they took down Pacific Lutheran University (PLU) 4-1 thanks to six pitchers combining for only one unearned run across nine innings.
The Lutes got on the board first with a sacrifice fly in the second. That same inning the Bulldogs got their offense going with two runs coming in on three hits. Omar Barraza (San Mateo, CA) got the inning started with a double down the right field line and advanced to third following an error on the pitcher that allowed Gabriel Ceja (Long Beach, CA) to reach. Nathan Buchan (Mercer Island, WA) followed with a base hit through the right side scoring one and then two batters later following a base hit on the infield from Luke De Vries (Irvine, CA) Jared Anderson (Gilbert, AZ) would reach on a fielder's choice allowing the go-ahead and eventual game-winning run to score.
Anderson got his second RBI of the game in the fourth as he singled to second base scoring Ceja for the second time moving the score to 3-1. The final run of the game came with two outs from pinch hitter Cade McClelland (Mission Viejo, CA) who took a pitch the other way into left field for an RBI-single that scored Max Clark (Fontana, CA).
On the mound Nate Helton (Menifee, CA) started and struck out three Lutes in two innings. Kyler Bacosa (San Jose, CA) got his first collegiate win as he threw two no-hit innings while striking out two. Joe Godoy (Commerce, CA) kept the line moving on the mound with two no-hit innings as well.
After Jack Brown (San Diego, CA) got an out, Jakob Russell (Fontana, CA) came on in the seventh with two on and one out and earned a strike out swinging and a pop up to get out of the jam. Patrick Perez (Ontario, CA) finished the game off with his third save on the season as he struck out two and worked around an error to secure the 4-1 Bulldog victory.
Anderson continued his hot hitting with a three-hit day, he also drove in two of the four runs. De Vries quietly set the table from his leadoff spot, going 2-for-4 with a walk and Buchan in his first start in left-field had a hit, RBI, and a walk.
The Bulldogs have the weekend off before they take on Chapman University next weekend in a three-game series. They travel to Orange, CA for a single game on Friday, March 31 beginning at 3:00pm and will then host the Panthers on Saturday, April 1 for a doubleheader with game times set for 11:00am and 2:30pm.