THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. — Nick Fusari had a walk-off in game one as No. 7 Cal Lutheran Baseball clinched the series with Redlands behind a 3-2 win in 11 innings on Saturday afternoon. Game two went to Bulldogs with a score of 6-5.
The Kingsmen have a 12-game schedule, with six games apiece with Redlands and Chapman. The Purple and Gold won the first series of the season.
Game one was a pitcher's duel with a few runs here and there. Redlands got on the board first, in the top of the second, and Cal Lutheran answered in the bottom of the inning. Joseph Scalzo doubled to right center to start the inning. He advanced to third as Gordon Richardson grounded out. Harrison Dunkel kept his bat hot and singled in Scalzo to tie the game.
Mason Snodgrass was on the mound for the Purple and Gold. He went seven strong innings, allowing just two hits and one run, with four strikeouts.
Redlands got one more run in the top of the eighth, and CLU was there again. With the bases loaded, Brendan Durfee walked on four straight pitches and Sam Cooper tied the game. The Kingsmen stranded the bases loaded as the inning ended on a double play.
Cal Lutheran's John Frazier and Matt Campo both saw action on the mound in the final innings. Both pitched 2.0 innings with Frazier in the eighth and ninth and Campo in the 10th and 11th.
Dunkel started the bottom of the 11th with a walk. He stole second and advanced to third after a throwing error by Redlands' catcher. A few batter later, Fusari singled to right center, scoring the game-winning run.
In game two, Redlands jumped out to a quick lead and scored two runs in the first and second innings.
Cal Lutheran cut the lead in half in the bottom of the second as Fusari delivered a clutch single, scoring Dunkel and Richardson.
The Kingsmen pitching staff had a rough start as Zach Hardman was bounced after 1.1 innings. Nathan Chapman was in for the next 3.1 innings, as Redlands added another two runs. Gregory Pimentel was next, and kept the Bulldogs bat silent over the next 2.1 innings.
The offense for CLU had their pitcher's backs and came live for three runs in the bottom of the seventh.
Fusari stayed hot and tripled to start the inning. He was brought home as the next batter, Ben Wangrin, singled to left center. Kyle Reuser was up next and doubled to right center, scoring Wangrin, making the score 6-4.
Cal Lutheran got one more run in the inning as Scalzo hit a sacrifice fly to left field. He got a RBI as Reuser scored to make it 6-5.
Tristan Dupont became the fourth pitcher to enter the game and shutout the Bulldogs for two innings. The game came down to the bottom of the ninth as the Kingsmen trailed by one.
Wangrin singled through the right side to start the inning, and moved to second after a ground ball out. With runners on first and second, with two outs, the Bulldogs escaped with the win.
The Kingsmen have next weekend off before starting their series with Chapman on Friday the 23. CLU travels to Chapman for one game at 3 p.m.
Box Score: CLU 3, UR 2 (11 inns.); UR 6, CLU 5
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Release by Ryan Jorgenson, Sports Information Director
