HOME OF BULLDOG BASEBALL - 10 SCIAC Championships

Despite a strong offensive showing against a formidable Cal Baptist University pitching staff, the No. 19 University of Redlands baseball team fell just short of earning the win, losing by an 8-9 final.

Redlands held an 8-7 lead heading into the bottom of the ninth inning, but two costly errors allowed the Lancers to advance runners and score, giving Cal Baptist the win.

The Lancers jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first two innings, but the Bulldogs clawed their way back into the game in the third frame.

With junior shortstop Zack Braband (Alameda, CA) on first and senior outfielder/catcher Kyle Rizzo (Redlands, CA) on second, graduate student second baseman Tom Ledda (Daly City, CA) laid down a sacrifice bunt to the pitcher, advancing both runners. Senior outfielder Matt Goldstein (Lincoln, CA) hit a sacrifice fly to right field, plating Braband, while junior catcher Jefre Johnson (Canby, OR) shot an RBI single to left field on the ensuing at bat to bring Rizzo home.

Down 2-3, the Maroon and Gray catapulted past the Lancers in the fourth as senior outfielder Jordan Snider (Temecula, CA) scored off of a Braband single while senior infielder Tony Stutevoss (Portland, OR) reached home on Ledda’s RBI walk.

Redlands chalked up another run in the sixth as Rizzo drew a walk, advanced to second on a wild pitch and then scored a run when Ledda doubled to right.

The Bulldogs took advantage of a pitching change in the seventh as the team scored two runs on five hits, which included hits by Johnson, sophomore first baseman Manny Cardeiro (San Diego, CA), Snider, Stutevoss and Braband and runs by sophomore outfielder Brandon Owashi (San Diego, CA) and Cardeiro.

Finally, in the eighth inning, senior outfielder Cory Vane (Simi Valley, CA) ripped a single to left field, scoring Goldstein to put Redlands up 8-7.

Senior pitcher/first baseman Nolan Nicholson (Fullerton, CA) got the starting nod on the hill and allowed six runs in five innings pitched. Taking the mound in relief, junior pitcher/infielder Michael Lessig (Fountain Hills, AZ) allowed just one earned run in 2.1 innings of work while sophomore pitcher Derek Johnson (Canby, OR) picked up the loss despite allowing no earned runs and two hits in the ninth inning.

Redlands (0-1) takes a week-and-a-half break before hosting Pacific Lutheran University (WA) in a non-conference doubleheader on Feb. 14. The first game is slated to start at 11 a.m. while the second game of the doubleheader is estimated to start at 2 p.m.