The University of Redlands baseball program opened the 2011 campaign with authority earlier today, shutting out the Golden Eagles of La Sierra University by a score of 16-0.  Headlining the victory, senior Pre-season D3baseball.com All-America Honorable Mention ace Derek Johnson (Canby, OR) tossed five scoreless innings, while senior outfielders Nate Carlson (Portland, OR) and Brandon Owashi (San Diego, CA) each tallied four hits on the day. With today's showing, Redlands posted its biggest margin of victory for a season opener in over a decade.

Last season's team triple-crown winner, Carlson initiated the Bulldogs' scoring with his inaugural RBI of the day in the first inning, bringing home junior shortstop Chase Tucker (Poway, CA) with a lining single through the left side.  After earning this early lead, the Bulldogs never looked back.

The Maroon and Gray pushed across another run in the third and two in the fifth before exploding in the bottom of the sixth with a 10-run performance.  With eight new players in the lineup, Redlands continued to roll in the seventh, earning two more runs to cap it off at 16.

The Bulldogs' pitching staff put together a complete-game shutout by the efforts of Johnson, sophomore Paul Dippel (East Granby, CT) and freshman Casey Miller (Laguna Beach, CA). Johnson rarely faced any trouble by allowing only three hits over five innings, striking out five in the victory. 

First-year transfer from the University of Rhode Island, Dippel made his Redlands debut by shutting down La Sierra in three innings of work, highlighted by a bases-loaded, no-outs jam in the eighth.  He stepped up to the challenge by striking out the next two batters and sitting down the final batter on a fly out.

Rookie hurler Miller fanned two in the final inning, making his first career appearance for the Bulldogs.

Redlands finished out the day with a total of 20 hits, five of which were for extra bases. Carlson recorded a 4-for-5 showing with four RBI, while Owashi collected four hits and crossed home plate on three occasions.  The heart of the Redlands lineup did most of the damage as the starting two-through-six hitters went a combined 14-for-20, driving home nine runs. Eleven different players recorded a hit with four of them notching multiple. 

Several players collected their inaugural Bulldog hit, including sophomore first baseman Petter Overton-Harris (Beaverton OR), freshman catcher Joe Bell (Bakersfield, CA) as well as junior transfer designated hitter Trenton Lively (La Verne, CA). 

The Bulldogs (1-0) return to action tomorrow as they take on the third-ranked NAIA team from Cal Baptist University at the Yard, beginning at 2 p.m.