HOME OF BULLDOG BASEBALL - 10 SCIAC Championships

The University of Redlands baseball team could not stop Cal State East Bay’s pitching staff as the Bulldogs dropped their final game of the Chapman Invitational, 1-8, to the Pioneers in Orange on Sunday.

Following the final contest of the afternoon between Chapman University and Menlo College, senior pitcher Nolan Nicholson (Fullerton, CA) earned a place on the Chapman Invitational All-Tournament team for his one-run, three-hit victory against Menlo on Friday.

Cal State East Bay dominated the first inning as it plated four runs on five hits.

Both teams held each other in check in the second before Redlands scored its lone run of the contest in the third. Senior second baseman Evan Dunn (Portland, OR) singled to left to start out the inning, and junior shortstop Zack Braband (Alameda, CA) laced a single up the middle to put two aboard. Dunn moved to third on a flyout to right and scored when Cal State East Bay’s pitcher botched a pickoff attempt on Braband.

The Pioneers, however, would pry the gap open further with a three-run fifth. Cal State East Bay tallied one more run in the seventh, and Redlands would not respond offensively.

Braband offered up the lone multi-hit performance for the Maroon and Gray, going 2-for-4.

Freshman pitcher Josh Snyder (Englewood, CO) struck out five in 4.1 innings on the hill, but six surrendered runs would ultimately charge him with the loss. Senior pitcher Kevin Bissell (Orange, CA), freshman pitcher Brock Jacobo (Yuma, AZ) and freshman pitcher Adam Byrd (Bullhead City, AZ) held their own in relief as the bullpen contingent combined to allow just two runs on five hits in 3.2 innings.

Cal State East Bay used three pitchers, and all supplied remarkable outings. The Pioneer trio gave up just one run on six hits.

Redlands (23-14, 12-6 SCIAC) closes out its regular season with a three-game set against Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Colleges on Friday and Saturday. Friday’s game against the Stags starts at 3 p.m. in Claremont before the series moves east to Redlands for an 11 a.m. doubleheader on Saturday.