WALLA WALLA, Wash. – The University of Redlands Baseball team (18-19) dropped both games of their doubleheader Saturday to end their non-conference schedule and the four game series with Whitman College. The Bulldogs got a great start from Nathan Buchan (Mercer Island, WA) but would fall 1-0 in game one before dropping game two 12-3.
Game 1 (L, 1-0)
After a strong offensive finish in game two Friday, the Bulldog offense was never able to get going to start off the doubleheader Saturday as they were shutout for only the second time this season.
They finished with hour hits, one of which came on a leadoff single from Luke De Vries (Irvine, CA). Following the hit with one out in the first, Tyler Preece (Bellevue, WA) walked to put two on. But the subsequent two batters were unable to bring home De Vries as they reached on a fielder's choice and flew out to right, which stranded two.
In the second the Blues got their lone run of the game on a solo home run.
Redlands' second and third hits came in the fifth when Nathan Miller (San Jose, CA) had an infield single as did Will Cell (Seattle, WA). De Vries then drew a two out walk, which loaded the bases. But that's where they would stay following a strikeout that ended the threat.
In the ninth Mason Chetcuti (Redwood City, CA) became the tying runner after singling to center. The next two batters, though, grounded out to end the game.
Washington native Buchan got the start and threw 6.1 innings with one earned run while striking out three. Jakob Russell (Fontana, CA) finished off the final 1.2 innings, while facing the minimum five batters.
Game 2 (L, 12-3)
In the final game of the four-game stretch the Bulldogs again failed to score more than five runs for the fourth time in the series.
The pitching was able to keep the game scoreless through two innings, but the Blues would strike seven times in the third, once in the fourth, and three times in the fifth to put the game away.
Gabriel Ceja (Long Beach, CA) pushed the first run across for U of R in the fourth on a fielder's choice that allowed Preece to come home from third to make it a 7-1 deficit.
Down to their final three outs in the ninth Luke Hanson (Escondido, CA) drew a walk to lead off the inning. Then after a strikeout, Cade McClelland (Mission Viejo, CA) doubled home Hanson. Lucas Romero then drew another Bulldog walk as McClelland went to third on a passed ball.
Jake Burgess (Riverside, CA) made Whitman pay for the extra base given to McClelland as he reached on a fielder's choice picking up the RBI.
Sean McCance (Irvine, CA) had a good game, reaching base three times via a hit, walk, and hit-by-pitch.
On the mound the two bright spots were Kyler Bacosa (San Jose, CA) and Marco Naranjo (San Bernardino, CA) who both threw scoreless innings and faced the minimum.
Redlands gets next week off before they end their regular season with a three-game Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) series with Occidental College on May 4-5. The Bulldogs will host the Tigers for a doubleheader at 11:00 a.m. and 2:00pm on Saturday, May 4 at The Yard.
