LOS ANGELES, Calif. - On the second day of the Fourth Annual Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) Postseason Baseball Tournament, the Cal Lutheran baseball team led from start to finish in a 6-3 victory over Redlands at Anderson Field on Saturday afternoon. With the win, the Kingsmen advance to the championship on Sunday with a chance to clinch a spot in the NCAA Division III Playoffs.
For the second straight game CLU got off to a quick start, plating two runs in the top of the first to take an early lead. Davey Casciola led off with a walk to start the inning and moved into scoring position after a one-out single by Gabe Gunter. Jimmy Jauregui then stepped up and stroked an RBI double to right center followed by a sacrifice fly from Ramsey Abushahla.
Before Redlands could answer back, the Kingsmen added two more runs in the top of the third to take a 4-0 lead. This time it was Abushahla connecting on an RBI base hit to bring home Chad Clark who singled earlier in the inning. Justin Caña put another run on the board for CLU with a two-out RBI single up the middle.
The Bulldogs strung together three consecutive doubles in the bottom half of the inning for their first run of the game, but the Kingsmen answered quickly in the top of the fourth as Casciola powered his seventh homerun of the season over the left field fence to make it a 5-1 game.
Christian Conci had a homerun of his own for Redlands in the bottom of the fifth, a two-run shot, bringing the Bulldogs within two, 5-3, but once again Casciola responded the next inning with an RBI base hit to stretch the Kingsmen lead.
On the hill, Evan Peterson (6-1) picked up the win after tossing six innings while scattering nine hits, allowing three runs and striking out three. Nate Wehner pitched three scoreless innings of relief to earn his fourth save of the year.
For Redlands, Kevin Stevens (5-2) was tagged with the loss after allowing six earned runs on seven hits and walking four.
The Violet and Gold racked up 13 hits in a game where the first six batters in the lineup had at least two hits. Casciola led the Kingsmen with three hits while C. Clark, Gunter, Jauregui, Abushahla and Caña all had two.
Cal Lutheran (30-11) is set to play tomorrow, May 8, at 2:00 p.m. in the championship game against the winner of an elimination game between Occidental and Redlands.
Box Score: CLU 6, UR 3
Tournament Central: 2016 SCIAC Postseason Baseball Tournament
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