THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. – The University of Redlands Baseball team (7-8, 3-5) went into their doubleheader at first place California Lutheran University (CLU) Sunday morning with a chance to win the series with just a split thanks to a home win on Saturday afternoon.  But the Bulldogs were outscored 24-4 in a pair of losses (10-0 & 14-4).  

Game 1 (L, 10-0 - 7-Innings)

The Bulldogs had only one baserunner in the first two innings, Esteban Nakashima (Riverside, CA) reached on an error, but starter Nathan Buchan (Mercer Island, WA) was able to hold the Kingsmen to only one hit as the game was scoreless heading to the third.

In the third, Kaiya Saito (Bellevue, WA) led off with a single through the left side and after a fly out, Luke De Vries (Irvine, CA) put runners on first and second with a single. After a pickoff and a groundout the threat ended without any runs.

The Kingsmen would take advantage in the bottom half of the inning with three runs which would end up being enough support for their starting pitcher.

The Bulldogs, though, did not give up, starting the fourth with a single from Jared Anderson (Gilbert, AZ), but a double play cleared the bases in front of what would have been a run-scoring double from Cade McClelland (Mission Viejo, CA) as they stayed scoreless through four.

Redlands would have two hits in the sixth and one in the seventh that both were erased via a double play as the Bulldogs dropped game one.

De Vries and Anderson had two hits each as the Bulldogs hit into three double plays.

Game 2 (L, 14-4 - 7-Innings)

After a slow offensive start to game one, game two saw the Kingsmen score three times in the first inning before the Bulldogs' offense brought them back and gave them the lead 4-3 thanks to a four-run second.

The frame started with a leadoff solo home run from Max Clark (Fontana, CA). Jake Burgess (Riverside, CA) and Nakashima both reached to put the tying runners on base with no outs. After a sacrifice bunt from Sebastian Mejorado (Oceanside, CA), Saito tied the game with a two-run double into right center.

After a groundout the Bulldogs took advantage of a fielding error on CLU as Saito was able to score for a 4-3 lead.

Redlands' hard work in the top half of the inning was immediately nullified in the bottom part of the inning as CLU scored four times to reestablish their three-run lead, 7-4.

Jakob Russell (Fontana, CA) would come in the second and gave up only one run through the fifth. The Kingsmen would then spark a two-out rally in the sixth to put the game away as they scored four times and extended their lead to 11-4.

Nakashima was a perfect 3-for-3 with a run scored, Saito drove in two of the three RBI's, and De Vries drew both Bulldog walks. Russell threw 4.2 innings in relief with only one earned run before the late sixth inning rally.

The Bulldogs will play Webster University on Wednesday, March 15 at 3:00 p.m. at The Yard.