REDLANDS Calif. – California Lutheran University's baseball team began a weekend series against the Redlands Bulldogs with a Friday afternoon game. The Kingsmen opened with a lead, but were unable to hold on in a 5-7 loss.

The Kingsmen struck early when left fielder Austin Carrillo hit a sacrifice fly that brought in leadoff hitter Kyle Reuser. Cal Lutheran then added another when catcher Brendan Durfee drove in Max Heverly with a single to left.

In the second inning, Reuser scored his second run of the game on a Max Heverly double to right.

Starting pitcher Chris Torres threw two shutout innings to help the Kingsmen to a 3-0 lead until the Bulldogs were finally able to mount some offense in the bottom of the third. Redlands plated 4 runs in the inning to take the lead 4-3.

Max Heverly's third hit of the game brought home Harrison Dunkel to tie the game at 4-4 in the fourth.

The Bulldogs responded in the bottom of the inning with a run of their own to retake the lead 5-4. A run in the fifth gave Redlands a 6-4 lead and a little breathing room.

Cal Lutheran pushed back in the top of the sixth when Heverly reached on a fielder's choice and picked up his third RBI of the contest, driving in Reuser to make the score 5-6.

Redlands was able to get out of that inning and hold the Kingsmen scoreless for the rest of the game, while adding an insurance run in the seventh to reach the final score of 7-5.

The Kingsmen will look to avenge the loss and claim the weekend series at home with a Saturday double header scheduled for 11:00am and 2:30pm.

Box Score: CLU 5; UR 7
CLU Instagram: @clusports
Sport IG: @kingsmen_baseball
CLU Twitter: @CLUSports
Sport Twitter: @CLUBaseball
CLU Facebook: @clusports
Hashtags: #clusports #ownthethrone #goregals #gokingsmen #theSCIAC #ncaad3

Release by Steven Lohn, Assistant Sports Information Director