REDLANDS, Calif. – The University of Redlands Baseball team (1-0) won their 2024 season opener against McMurry University, 9-2, on Friday afternoon at The Yard. Starter Tyler Reiter (San Diego, CA) went five and picked up the win, while Jakob Russell (Fontana, CA) got a rare four-inning save.
After allowing the opening run to the War Hawks in the top of the second, the Bulldogs' Will Daniels (Crestline, CA) got the offense going with a double down the line and scoring Tyler Preece (Bellevue, WA), which tied the game. Kaiya Saito (Bellevue, WA) then gave the Bulldogs the lead with a sacrifice fly to right as Daniels would come in to score.
McMurry tied the game at two in the top of third on a single, but the Bulldogs would come back in the bottom half with a double from Sebastian Mejorado (Oceanside, CA) to the left centerfield gap followed by Gabriel Ceja (Long Beach, CA) who walked, which forced the first pitching change of the game.
Preece was then hit by a pitch by the new pitcher that loaded the bases right in front of Mejorado who would come home on a passed ball in what was the eventual game-winning run. Nathan Miller (San Jose, CA) stepped in as a pinch hitter, drew a walk before UR got their second run of the game off a sacrifice fly, this time courtesy of Jake Burgess (Riverside, CA).
After a scoreless fourth, Miller homered to left for his first career home run. Will Cell (Seattle, WA) and Saito each reached base in front of leadoff hitter Luke De Vries (Irvine, CA) who drew his second walk of the game.
Jared Anderson (Gilbert, AZ) was able to take advantage of the runner in scoring position as he brought around Cell for the sixth run, which came on a single to center.
With the game still close, 6-2, the Bulldogs got the first two batters on base in the eighth before Mejorado dropped down a sacrifice bunt that advanced them both into scoring position. After a strikeout, which put two outs on the board, Preece stepped in and hit a three-run shot to left center for his first as a Bulldog.
Russell stayed in the game in the ninth and pitched a one-two-three final inning as he got the save finishing off four shutout innings with four strikeouts on only 48 pitches.
Reiter in his first start of the season went five innings, giving up two runs with six strikeouts.
At the plate De Vries reached base four times with three walks and a single. Anderson went 3-for-5 with a run scored and an RBI, Preece drove in three and had two hits and two runs scored and Cell went 2-for-3 with a run scored as the Bulldogs had 17 combined hits and walks.
The Bulldogs and War Hawks complete their three-game series tomorrow, Saturday, February 10 with a doubleheader that starts at 11:00 a.m. at The Yard.
