REDLANDS, Calif. – The Diamond Gents took game one, 5-3, after a big error led to a four-run ninth of game one, while the Bulldogs rallied from a three-run deficit in the ninth inning of game two to force a tie as Centenary (8-8-1) tied Redlands (7-10-1) 6-6 to complete the doubleheader Saturday afternoon, March 9.
In game one, Centenary trailed 3-0 after six innings and trailed 3-1 in the ninth. Down to their final out, the Gents took advantage of a key error to score four runs. With two outs and a runner on second, senior Andrew Russell reached on an error to put the tying run on base. A single to right center by sophomore Peyton Cormane scored a run and put the tying run at second. Junior Cody Crowder followed with another single to right center that tied the game. After a Bulldogs pitching change, sophomore Chris Haggard singled in the go-ahead run. Senior Cameron Guin drove in an insurance run with an infield single.
Down 3-0, Centenary got on the scoreboard when freshman Shane Salzman hit a sacrifice fly in the seventh.
Cormane, Crowder, and Haggard led Centenary with three hits and an RBI from the plate, while Cormane and Crowder both added runs scored. In relief, sophomore Connor Cudd (1-0) picked up the win, allowing only a hit while striking out four in 3.2 innings of work.
Redlands scored single runs in the fourth, fifth, and sixth innings. In the fourth, Sammy Diaz grounded out with a runner on third to score the first run of the game. In the sixth, Diaz's single drove in the third run of the ballgame.
In the fifth, an errant throw on a toss to first allowed Aaron Singh to score.
Singh finished the game with two hits and a run scored, while Diaz had a hit in four at-bats with two RBIs.
Cameron Kundig (0-1) took the loss for the Bulldogs, allowing four unearned runs and three hits in 1.2 innings of work.
In game two tied at three in the top of the eighth, sophomore Preston Ludwick hit his second home run of the California trip to put the Gents in the lead. In the ninth, Russell walked and Cormane singled as the first two batters reached. A wild pitch moved both runners into scoring position that eventually scored on Crowder's sacrifice fly and Haggard's RBI groundout.
However, Redlands rallied to tie the game. With one out, singles by Payton Walsh and Cal Bridges around a walk to Singh scored a run and put the tying runs on base. Chris Hardin singled to load the bases, but a popup recorded the second out. However, Anthony Acosta followed with a single to drive in a pair to tie the game. Eduardo Martinez-Razo followed with a single, but Centenary threw out the runner at home to end the game in a tie.
Centenary closes out the road trip Sunday, March 10, at #12 Chapman. First pitch is scheduled for 12:30 p.m. (10:30 a.m. PDT).