The University of Redlands baseball team downed La Sierra
University in its season opener, 7-2, on Friday afternoon in
Redlands.
Redlands jumped out to a four-run lead in the bottom of the first
and tacked on three more in the third, but La Sierra took advantage
of a throwing error charged to the Bulldogs in the ninth to erase
Redlands' shutout hopes.
After senior pitcher Michael Lessig (Fountain Hills, AZ) struck out
the side in the top of the first, senior centerfielder Will Wetmore
(Santa Cruz, CA) drew a walk in the Maroon and Gray's opening
at bat. Wetmore advanced to third on a failed pickoff attempt, and
junior leftfielder Brandon Owashi (San Diego, CA) drove him home
with a deep sacrifice fly to left. Senior catcher Jefre Johnson
(Canby, OR) punished a pitch in the team's ensuing plate
appearance, launching a shot well over the leftfield fence.
Sandford walked, advanced to second on a wild pitch and eventually
reached home after a single by sophomore third baseman Jon Cavender
(Rancho Cucamonga, CA). Graduate student first baseman Matt Hughes
(Westminster, CA), whose life on the basepaths during the inning
came as a result of a fielding error, scored the final run of the
frame when he advanced home on a Cavender stolen base.
Two consecutive errors allowed the Bulldogs to amass three runs in
the third. Graduate student designated hitter Brent Sandford (Santa
Barbara, CA), junior rightfielder Nate Carlson (Portland, OR) and
Cavender all touched home plate during the stanza to give Redlands
a commanding seven-run lead.
Both defenses took over in the middle innings as superb infield
play kept the score locked in place until the ninth. An errant
throw led to both of the inning's runs, but two consecutive
strikeouts by senior pitcher Jack Winters (Oradell, NJ) closed the
door on the Golden Eagles.
Lessig (1-0) earned the win on the mound, striking out seven over
four innings. He also held La Sierra hitless. The bullpen supplied
a formidable collective performance as freshman pitcher Kyle Hart
(Burbank, CA), sophomore pitcher Jeff Cashmer (Cherry Valley, CA)
and Winters combined to strike out eight while surrendering no
earned runs.
Dallas McDaniel shouldered the loss for the Golden Eagles, giving
up seven runs, two of which were earned, in seven innings of
work.
Cavender went 2-for-3, offering the contest's lone multi-hit
performance. Hughes plated a game-high two runs off of a single up
the middle in the third.
Redlands (1-0) meets up with La Sierra again on Tuesday, Feb. 2, at
2:30 p.m. in Riverside.
