The University of Redlands baseball team defeated Ithaca College
(NY), 4-1, in non-conference action at The Yard on Sunday
afternoon. Sunday's contest marked Ithaca's 2010 season debut.
The first four innings featured remarkable defensive plays from
both sides. Junior leftfielder Brandon Owashi (San Diego, CA)
headlined the Bulldogs' defensive display when he stopped what
appeared to be a sure extra-base hit in the top of the third,
laying out to make the catch.
Redlands opened scoring in the bottom of the fifth. Senior
shortstop Zack Braband (Alameda, CA) doubled to left center before
senior centerfielder Will Wetmore (Santa Cruz, CA) moved him to
third in the ensuing at bat by means of a sacrifice bunt. Owashi
then plated Braband off of a double to left-center, giving the
Maroon and Gray a 1-0 advantage. From that point forward, the
Bulldogs would never trail.
Wetmore's hard-hit single to third pushed across the game's
second run in the sixth, while Owashi drove in Tucker later in the
frame to put Redlands on top, 3-0.
Ithaca responded its next time up, using a Matt Streich triple
to put itself in a position to score. Jon Krakower reached base on
an error in the next at bat, scoring Streich in the process.
The Bombers issued a free pass to Wetmore and senior catcher
Jefre Johnson (Canby, OR) before plunking graduate student
designated hitter Brett Sandford (Santa Barbara, CA) to load the
bases in the eighth. Senior third baseman/first baseman Michael Lessig (Fountain Hills, AZ) then ripped a sacrifice fly to left,
which brought in Wetmore.
Senior pitcher Jack Winters (Oradell, NJ) gave up a hit and a
walk to start off the ninth, but he settled in and retired three
straight batters to secure Redlands' ninth straight win.
On the bump for Redlands, sophomore pitcher Josh Snyder (Denver,
CO) received the start and earned the win, pitching five scoreless
innings while yielding just four hits. Snyder, who moves to 1-0 on
the season with the decision, also recorded one strikeout.
Sophomore pitcher Brock Jacobo (Yuma, AZ) was handed the ball in
the sixth and gave up one run on two hits before Winters took over
in the top of the ninth and held serve. Winters picked up his
fourth save of the season for his work in the ninth.
Ithaca's Tom Fishback (0-1) absorbed the loss, scattering eight
hits and allowing three runs over six innings. Fishback also fanned
two Bulldog batters.
Wetmore, Owashi and Johnson all had multi-hit outings, while
Owashi held the game-high in RBI with two.
Seven different Bombers reached base off of hits.
Redlands (14-2, 10-2 SCIAC) faces Rutgers University-Newark (NJ)
this afternoon at 2 p.m. at The Yard.
