The University of Redlands baseball squad jumped back into Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) action against the No. 5 Cal Lutheran University Kingsmen on Friday when it opened the three-game set in Thousand Oaks. It took extra innings to decide a winner in a tight-knit ball game, but the Bulldogs faltered in a 4-5 defeat.
The Maroon and Gray pushed across the first run of the game in the top of the first inning, as senior catcher Sean McMillan (Redwood City, CA) launched a sacrifice fly to centerfield, scoring second baseman Christopher Scalisi (Woodland Hills, CA) after his lead-off double.
Freshman hurler Felix Minjarez (Riverside, CA) climbed the bump for the Bulldogs. Despite giving up a run in the first inning, he settled in nicely for the following three frames, which included striking out the side in bottom of the second inning.
After the Kingsmen grabbed a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the fifth inning, the Bulldogs came storming back in the top of the sixth with three runs. Senior shortstop Jordan Dresner (Etiwanda, CA) crossed home after junior center-fielder Christian Conci (San Mateo, CA) barreled up a double to right center-field. Junior first baseman Ryan Franklin (Manhattan Beach, CA) followed two batters later with a sacrifice fly to score Conci. Junior outfielder Mitch Samson(Orangevale, CA) came around to score on a suicide squeeze off the bat of junior left-fielder Nathan Bowker (Edmond, OK) to cap off the inning with a 4-2 lead.
Minjarez held Cal Lutheran off the scoreboard for another two innings by utilizing his defense and pitching to contact.
The Kingsmen battled to tie up the game at four apiece with a two-run showing in the eighth.
Although Scalisi doubled to get on base in the ninth, the Bulldogs were unable to bring him home, forcing the game in an extra inning of "free" baseball.
However, CLU managed to push one across in the 10th, resulting in the tough 4-5 loss for the Maroon and Gray.
Minjarez matched a career-high 10 strikeouts in 7.2 innings pitched after dispersing 10 hits and allowing four runs.
Freshman reliever Noah Jones (San Bernardino, CA) picked up the loss in 1.1 innings of work, while sophomore reliever John White (Burbank, CA) tossed 0.1 innings to record a strikeout.
Conci continued to rake at the dish by going 3-for-5 with two doubles, an RBI, and a run scored. Scalisi pounded two doubles, as well, going 2-for-5 at the plate.
The Bulldogs (14-7, 7-6 SCIAC) complete the three-game series against Cal Lutheran by hosting a doubleheader on Saturday, March 21, at the Yard. First pitch is scheduled for 11 a.m.