REDLANDS, California. – Central Washington baseball fell 11-12 in their season opener to University of Redlands.
 
QUOTING HEAD COACH DESI STOREY
"Obviously, on the offensive side we swung it well we did some good things, but we missed a couple of opportunities. I was really pleased with how our offense produced 11 runs and 11 hits and thought the guys did really well. Except for the one inning on the mound, we did some good things. Brady wasn't super sharp, but he battled. Things fell apart in the one inning where we couldn't throw strikes."
 
Storey added, "I was pleased with Richardson he got in and did well, landed his off-speed pitches. If we went out that next inning, no doubt he would have been out there for us."
 
INNINGS 1-3

• The Wildcats took an early 2-0 lead in the first. Ben Leid singled to right driving in Charlie Larson. Helm was up next and pushed a runner across with a fielder's choice.
• Bradye Hirai started on the mound for the 'Cats he pitched 4 innings and recorded 4 strikeouts.
• Redlands got to Hirai in the bottom of the second hitting a double that scored one and then scoring two from wild pitches.
• In the top of the third, Kevin 'Baba' Varner Jr. launched one to right field, for the 'Cats first home run of the season. Varner's shot tied the game at three.
• A single from Burgess scored Clark giving Redlands the 4-3 lead going into the top of the fourth.

INNINGS 4-7

• Larson's sac fly scored one in the top of the fourth tying the game at four.
• Ohland reached base to start the fifth, Leid doubled to right. Another hit by pitch loaded the bases. The third hit by pitch resulted in a run for the Wildcats.
• Leid scored on a wild pitch making it 6-4.
• Nolan Milliman came in to relieve Hirai in the bottom of the fifth and struck out the side.
• Two walks and a hit by pitch loaded the bases for Central in the top of the 6^th. Travis Helm roped a double scoring 2 runs.
• The Bulldogs came alive in the bottom of the sixth plating eight runs.
• A double from Barraza drove in 3 runs, Mejorado ended the inning roping a double and driving in two more runs.
• Kearsey relieved Milliman in the bottom of the 6th.
• The 'Cats responded by scoring a run in the 7^th to make it 9-12.

 
INNINGS 8 AND 9

• No runs were scored in the 8^th.
• In the bottom of the ninth down to their final three outs, the Wildcats rallied. Kyle Rodriguez reached first on an error. Sam Lauderdale drew the walk making it first and second with no outs.
• Hinkle and Tripoli flied out to left and center field.
• Larson walked loading the bases.
• The 'Cats were down to their final three strikes with Kevin 'Baba' Varner Jr. at the plate. Varner Jr. crushed a single to right center driving in Lauderdale and Rodriguez which made it 11-12.
• Ohland stepped up to the plate with runners on first and third. He worked the count to 1-2, but got punched out on a check swing ending the game.

 
PITCHING

• Brayde Hirai started on the mound for Central. He pitched four innings and recorded four strikeouts.
• Nolan Milliman threw 1.3 innings striking out the side in the bottom of the fifth before finding trouble in the bottom of the sixth.
• Beau Kearsey came in for Milliman and threw .1 innings, Drew Richardson closed out the game for the 'Cats finishing two frames and striking out two batters.  
• For Redlands, Kethan Efron started the game throwing 4 innings and recording two strikeouts. Ryan Rhoades and Jack Brown came in for relief, and Patrick Perez forced the final out of the game.

 
HITTING

• Austin Ohland went 2-3 scoring 2 runs.
• Ben Leid went 3-5 with a double and an RBI and Charlie Larson went 2-2 with a hit and two RBIs.
• Kevin Varner Jr. hit 2-5 with 2 hits including one home run and he drove in three runs.

 
UP NEXT

• The Wildcats look to bounce back as they play their first series of the season tomorrow against Cal State San Bernardino. The first game is at noon, followed by a 7-inning game at 3 p.m.