TUCSON, Ariz. (March 14, 2022) - The Buena Vista baseball team began this year's spring trip to the sunny desert by winning four of its first five contests before the team faced a tough ending by suffering three straight losses to move to 7-4 on the season.
On Saturday, BVU was looking to extend its three-game win streak as it took the field for an evening doubleheader that started with the University of Redlands, but the Bulldogs scored in six of their eight innings, including a four-run third, before holding off the Beavers, 12-8.
Calvin Harris drew a bases loaded walk in the top of the first to put BVU in front early, 1-0, but Redlands answered with a pair of runs in their half of the inning to grab a 2-1 lead. Each teams scored twice in the second before the Bulldogs used a four-run third to take an 8-3 lead and never looked back. The Beavers tried to come all the way back, getting as close as 9-8 thanks to a three-run homer from
Jordan Mathewson in the sixth.
Redlands had an answer each time BVU made a run, this time plating two runs in the sixth before adding an insurance one in the eighth.
Jordan Mathewson was one of four players to finish with two hits for the Beavers and led the way with his three RBI.
Evan Taylor also homered and tallied a team-leading three hits and an RBI.
Mason Gehling (1-2) made the start for BVU and suffered the loss after pitching 2.2 innings and allowing eight runs and five hits while issuing six walks.
The Beavers looked to bounce back and pull its second upset of the week as it took on No. 24 Chapman in the final game of the day that didn't start until after 8:00 p.m. local time. BVU jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead after a solo home run from
Joel Garcia and an RBI single from Harris that scored
Zack Beekmann.
The Panthers took advantage of a costly error by the Beaver defense in the second to pull even at 2-2. Chapman later added four runs against starter
Mark Eddie, who pitched 5.0 innings and allowed six runs (four earned) while recording a no decision.
The Beavers rallied in the seventh with RBI singles from
Evan Taylor, Garcia, Beekman and
Grant Oseka. After Chapman regained the lead at 8-7 with a run in the seventh, BVU again pulled back to 8-8 after an RBI from
Drew Taylor. The Panthers then got a one-out RBI walk-off single in the ninth to earn the victory as BVU suffered back-to-back losses for the first ttime this season.
Garcia and Beekmann each tallied two hits with Garcia also driving in two runs to lead the Beavers at the plate. Each team finished with nine hits and combined for five extra-base knocks.
Spencer Holmes and
Morgan Smith combined to pitch the final three innings and each allowed one run while striking out four and walking one.
The long stretch to end the trip was completed with a single game on Sunday morning against Claremont-Mudd-Scripps. BVU was plagued by five errors defensively which led to 10 unearned runs en route to an 18-6 loss in eight innings. The Beavers fell behind 9-0 before getting on the board in the sixth with three runs before CMS broke things open yet again with an eight-run eighth. Garcia again helped lead the way offensively with two more hits and a pair of RBI. CMS out-hit BVU 21-8.
Dalton Glenn suffered the loss on the mound for Buena Vista, allowing eight runs (six earned) over 3.1 innings.
The Beavers look to get back on track as they play their new home opener on Wednesday night, March 16, as the team entertains Morningside University (11-2) with first pitch slated for 5:00 p.m.
