Redlands, Pomona-Pitzer series to start with great matchup

The baseball teams from University of Redlands and Pomona-Pitzer will square off in a three-game series that starts on Friday. As usual the SCIAC will probably go down to the final game and both teams are in the mix so this is a huge series.

Redlands (20-7, 14-4) and La Verne (19-10, 14-4) are tied for first with the defending champion Sagehens (22-7, 12-6) in striking distance.

The pitching matchup doesn't get much better than this. The 3 p.m. game on Friday at Pomona-Pitzer will pit a pair of seniors in Derek Johnson (9-0, 2.10) of the Bulldogs and David Colvin (6-1, 3.18) of the Sagehens - probably the best two pitchers in the conference.

No doubt Johnson will want to make up for his showing in the game between the team's last season when he gave up seven hits and six earned runs in a 14-5 loss. He hasn't been hit that hard by anyone in his four years.

Both pitchers did face the other team in the ealier earlier series although they didn't take the mound in the same game. Johnson went the distance and earned the win in that one but like all competitors, he's likely to remember the last one because it was part of a six-game losing streak that cost the Bulldogs the conference title. 

The teams will play a doubleheader at 11 a.m. on Saturday at Redlands. Kyle Hart and Adam Byrd will be the starters forthe Bulldogs. The Sagehens have some options with some pitchers now getting healthy. Travis Rooke-Ley will get the ball in one of those.