Photo by: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com
WHITTIER, Calif. – The Whittier College baseball team struck for three runs in the first inning against Redlands Friday to open up Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Play (SCIAC) but couldn't hold on as the Bulldogs came back to win 6-3 at Memorial Field.
Whittier remains winless on the season at 0-5, 0-1 SCIAC, while Redlands improves to a perfect 4-0, 1-0 SCIAC.
Whittier got after freshman Felix Minjarez tagging the starter for three runs in the first. Stephen Zavala (Whittier, Calif.) led things off with a walk and then advanced to second following a sacrifice bunt from Jonathan Whipple (Sandy, UT).
Freshman Charlie Mayfield (Placentia, Calif.) then reached on a fielder's choice and Zavala managed to stay out of a pickle at second to keep the Poet rally alive. Senior Cody Martinez (Whittier, Calif.) then responded with a triple to left center that brought around two and Ben Cerami (Berkeley, Calif.) then chipped in with a single that brought in the third Poet run.
But these were the final runs added for the Purple & Gold as UR went on to add five runs in the 3rd and 4th innings and another in the 6th.
The three runs that came in the 3rd were unearned for Poet starter Nick Garcia. With two outs the Bulldogs managed to get the bases loaded and after an errant throw from the shortstop two runs came across. Connor Hancock who was hit by a pitch earlier managed to come across as well after an attempted throw down from Zavala, which tied the game up at three.
From this point, Minjarez settled down retiring the Poets over the next seven innings.
The Bulldogs struck twice during the fourth inning, as Ryan Franklin drove in Kyle Wallau after he reached base on a one-out single. Mark Tumlinson followed with a sacrifice groundout to the second baseman, plating Shreve to push the score to 5-3.
Garcia was tagged with his second loss on the season going 7.0 innings strong striking out three and giving up six runs (three earned).
Cerami finished the day 2-4 with an RBI, while Martinez was 1-4 with a run scored and two runs batted in.
Whittier returns to the diamond on Saturday, February 14 to wrap up their three game series with Redlands on the road with game times set for 11:00am and 2:30pm.
