REDLANDS, Calif. - Tied at 4-4 in the top of the ninth, Ramsey Abushahla came up with a clutch two-out go-ahead RBI single while Cal Lutheran closer Aaron Roth pitched the final three innings and helped the Kingsmen hold off Redlands 5-4 in a crucial Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) game Saturday afternoon. With the win, Cal Lutheran upped its SCIAC record to 20-6 and can clinch the number one seed of the upcoming conference tournament with a sweep of La Verne and Caltech or a Chapman loss on Sunday.
The Kingsmen actually jumped out to a 2-0 a lead, scoring run in each of the first two innings. Justin Cana got CLU going with a single to lead off the game and then later scored on an Abushahla base hit. After Cal Lutheran starter Tyler Hebda pitched a scoreless bottom of the inning, the Kingsmen scratched across another run in the top of the second when Craig Jacobson coaxed a one-out walk and was then driven in on Cana single.
Redlands starter Josh Makler held CLU off the scoreboard in the top of the third but Atherton Kniseley launched his second homerun of the season in the fourth inning and put CLU up 3-0.
The Bulldogs would get a run back in the bottom of the inning when Connor Hancock tripled and later scored on a Sean McMillan single.
Errors would betray the CLU defense in the bottom of the fifth inning and allow Redlands to get back in the game. Christian Conci led off the inning with a single and then Ryan Franklin reached on an error. With runners on first and second, Mitch Samson singled into left field, scoring Conci and bringing the Bulldogs to within a run at 3-2. Following another single that loaded the bases, Hebda got two outs before CLU committed another error and allowed Franklin, the tying run, to score.
The Kingsmen would quickly retake the lead though, manufacturing a run after Jacobson walked and then scored on an RBI groundout from Cana.
In following the back-and-forth nature of the game, Redlands again tied the game in the bottom of the seventh when Hancock walked, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt and then scored on a Jordan Dresner single.
Both teams were set down in order in the eighth inning, setting up the late game drama.
Following Abushahala's go-ahead RBI single in the top of the ninth, Roth got Christopher Scalisi to fly out to centerfield to lead off the bottom of the inning. Roth would then issue a walk to Hancock, who later advanced to scoring position but the CLU closer got a groundout and a strikeout to end the game.
CLU starter Hebda earned the tough no-decision, throwing 6.0 innings and allowing three earned runs on six hits while fanning four. Roth (4-2) earned the win, throwing the final 3.0 innings while striking out two.
Abushahla, Cana and Nicho DellaValle all had two hits to lead the Kingsmen. Cana also stole two bases and scored twice.
Cal Lutheran (29-8, 20-6 SCIAC) will close out its 2014 regular season with a doubleheader on Sunday, April 27. The Kingsmen host La Verne at 11:00 a.m. before taking on Caltech at 3:00 p.m.
Box Score: CLU 5 UR 4
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