The University of Redlands baseball team gave up its first loss of the young 2011 campaign earlier this afternoon, falling to the NAIA's third-ranked Lancers of Cal Baptist University by a score of 6-10. Behind a stellar performance from sophomore starting pitcher Kyle Hart (Burbank, CA), the Maroon and Gray pulled out to a 4-1 lead after five innings, but defensive miscues and an ineffective bullpen allowed the Lancers to collect eights runs over the final two frames. Cal Baptist struck first in the top of the second by notching two of its three hits against Hart to gain an early 1-0 lead. Hart finished out the day allowing just one run on three hits while walking one and striking out five over five innings of work.
Highlighted by senior first baseman Jon Cavender's (Rancho Cucamonga, CA) lining two-run single, the Bulldogs moved ahead by posting four runs in the bottom of the fifth. Cavender went on to notch half of Redlands' RBI on the day with three overall.
The wheels started to come off for the Bulldogs as the squad's defense suffered through four errors in the final two innings. In addition, the Cal Baptist offense found its stride by recording five hits against the Redlands bullpen.
Junior reliever Josh Snyder (Denver, CO) took the loss for the Maroon and Gray, surrendering three runs in one-third of an inning.
Cal Baptist's junior hurler Travis Barnes (Desert Hot Springs, CA) was credited with the win, while junior closer Patrick Smith (Menifee, CA) earned the save after facing the tying run with the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth.
Senior shortstop Chase Tucker (Poway, CA) crossed home safely three different times for the Bulldogs, chipping in two hits in the process. In addition, senior right fielder Nate Carlson (Portland, OR) registered his second consecutive multi-hit game of the season, providing a 2-for-4 showing against Cal Baptist.
Redlands returns to the Yard on Friday as the Bulldogs open Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) play against rival Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Colleges in a 2:30 p.m. single game, before heading to Claremont for an 11 a.m. doubleheader on Saturday.