THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. - The No. 7 Cal Lutheran baseball team returned to Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) action with a come from behind, 5-4 walk-off win in the tenth inning over Redlands on Friday afternoon.

After seven straight non-conference games that saw the Kingsmen go just 4-3, CLU welcomed the Bulldogs into Ullman Stadium, but a win would not be easy facing Redlands ace Felix Minjarez. Entering the game, the freshman right-hander led the SCIAC with a 6-0 record and sported a 2.77 ERA with 37 strikeouts.

In the top of the first inning, the Bulldogs used a leadoff double from Christopher Scalisi followed by a sac bunt and a sac fly to take an early 1-0 lead. Their lead, however, did not last long as Gabe Gunter tied it up with a homerun just over the outstretched arm of the right fielder after Minjarez left a heater up in the zone.

Scott Peters got the start on the hill for the Kingsmen and after allowing an early run, settled into a groove. Both teams were held scoreless for the next three innings, until CLU broke through in the fifth.

With one out in the frame, Anthony Schirtz singled to right center to reach base and snapped Minjarez's streak after he retired 11 Kingsmen in a row. Nico Filice followed with a double to left field, but the Bulldogs made a quick relay to hold Schirtz from scoring. With the go-ahead run on third base, Spencer DuBois came up and legged out an infield single to shortstop to bring Schirtz home and take a 2-1 lead.

As quickly as CLU gained the lead, the Bulldogs reclaimed it with three runs in the sixth, capitalizing on an early double and a late squeeze play to go up 4-2.



In the bottom of the eighth inning, Max Price led off with a single and Collin Crowl stroked a two-out double to fuel the comeback. Nick Cohan proceeded to triple down the first baseline to score two and tie the game 4-4.

Each team squandered opportunities with runners in scoring position in the ninth inning, and Landry Kiyabu relieved Peters in the tenth and retired the Bulldogs 1-2-3.

In the bottom of the tenth, Ramsey Abushahla got things started with a leadoff single to center and advanced to third base after a sacrifice bunt and a passed ball. Following a walk to Cohan and an intentional pass to Schirtz, Erik Whittlesey stepped into the box with the bases loaded and a chance to win the game. On a 3-1 count, the freshman infielder took ball four and Abushahla came home to give CLU the win 5-4.

Peters threw nine solid innings allowing just seven hits and three earned runs while striking out five and Kiyabu picked up the win after his scoreless inning of relief. Abushahla led CLU at the plate going 3-for-5 while Cohan and DuBois each went 2-for-4.

Cal Lutheran (16-4, 9-1 SCIAC) will finish the series with the Bulldogs when they travel to Redlands for a doubleheader tomorrow starting at 11:00 a.m.

Box Score: CLU 5, UR 4 (10)
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