TUCSON, AZ – The University of Redlands Baseball team got underway with the Tucson Cactus Classic Friday morning with a 9-3 loss to Aurora University.

With the loss the Bulldogs drop to 6-7, 2-4 SCIAC and extend their losing skid to six games, five of which have come here in the month of March.

Aurora jumped out in front with a two-spot in their opening at-bats, sparked by a solo shot from Jett Wedekind and a two-out double from Colin Meinert.  The Maroon and Grey were able to get one of those runs back in the second with Max Clark (Fontana, CA) tripling to right center that plated Jonah Advincula (Santa Clara, CA) who reached earlier on a bunt single.

Another three runs came across in the fifth and sixth for the Spartans as they extended their lead to 5-1.  UR made it a two score game when they plated a pair of runs in the seventh again coming on a triple, this time from Payton Walsh (Santa Ana, CA).  This scored Omar Barraza (San Mateo, CA) (E5) and Max Smyley (Sarasota, FL) (FC) making the score 5-3.  But this would be the last offense generated by Redlands as Aurora would get those two runs back in their next at-bats, which proved insurance as UR would be held scoreless over the final two frames. 

Andrew Rueter (San Diego, CA) got the start and went 4.2 Innings giving up five runs on 11 hits, while striking out four.  He drops to 1-1. 

The Bulldogs collected eight hits on the day with Mark Kirkland (Redlands, CA) going a perfect 3-for-3 with a walk.  Advincula was 2-for-4 scoring once and Walsh was 1-for-2 with a pair of RBI's.           

Redlands returns to the diamond for a doubleheader tomorrow, Saturday, March 12 when they take on Buena Vista (3:00pm) and Macalester (6:30pm).