The University of Redlands baseball team took on non-conference opponent Schreiner University (TX) on a sunny spring day at The Yard on Monday afternoon. In electrifying fashion, the home team laced together 21 hits en route to a 23-8 thrashing of the Mountaineers.
Freshman pitcher Michael Rishebarger (Oceanside, CA) took to the mound for his first start of his young Bulldog career. The Mountaineers strung together a few base hits to get on the board early, but the Bulldogs hit right back by plating two runs in the bottom of the first.
After Schreiner tied it up in the third for a 2-2 ballgame, Redlands enjoyed the first of multiple breakout innings in the fourth frame with a five-run showing. The Bulldogs loaded the bases with two walks and a hit-by-pitch to set up senior third basemen Christopher Scalisi (Woodland Hills, CA), who launched a bases-clearing triple to right center for three RBI. Junior designated hitter Rainier Aguilar (San Bernardino, CA) subsequently hit a triple to nearly the same spot in deep, right center for another RBI. Sophomore first basemen Brendan Moore (Murrieta, CA) kept things rolling with a sacrifice fly for his first of six RBI.
However, Schreiner battled back in the top of the fifth to close the gap to one run, with Redlands still ahead by a slight, 7-6, margin.
Nonetheless, that small lead was short-lived, as the Maroon and Gray put up another five runs in the bottom of the fifth. After junior center fielder Nick Ono (Yorba Linda, CA) and senior left fielder Mitch Samson (Orangevale, CA) laced back-to-back hits, Redlands took advantage of an error in the field, blasted a sacrifice fly, and uncorked a single to put up three more runs for a 10-6 advantage. Moore stepped up to the plate again with one runner on and uncorked yet another triple for an RBI. The home team secured one more run after that for a 12-6 lead, heading into the top of the sixth.
After freshman Austin Williams (Redlands, CA) lifted Rishebarger in the sixth, Schreiner tacked on two runs in the sixth, but it was a fragment of what Redlands scored over the next three innings. Pitching woes overwhelmed Schreiner in the sixth, as the Bulldogs scored four runs on multiple wild pitches and two hits. Moore kept his streak going by dinging a double, while junior shortstop Will Hall (Seattle, WA) sent an RBI-single to center field.
The home team registered two more runs in the seventh off of another Mountaineer error and a Moore RBI. Redlands showed no lack of offense again in the eighth as the squad enjoyed its second five-run inning of the game. The Bulldogs strung together six hits, as highlighted by Aguilar's RBI-double. The immense run support gave Rishebarger his first win as a Bulldog and Williams earned the save after three innings of work.
The Redlands offense racked up 21 hits for an incredible 23 runs while holding the visiting team to eight. The Bulldogs hit three triples and four doubles, and recorded 18 RBI. Beyond Moore's six-RBI performance, Samson had a great day on the basepaths as he went 4-for-4 in stolen bases.
Redlands (10-9) looks to continue its non-conference dominance on Friday, March 17, when it plays host to Ithaca College (NY) at The Yard. Game time is set for 3 p.m.