TUCSON, Ariz. - David Johnson put up three hits to go along with two runs and an RBI, but it came in defeat as the Whitman College baseball team came up just short in a 9-7 loss to Redlands, Saturday night in the Arizona Cactus Classic played at Kino Veterans Memorial Stadium.

Teague Conder and Leo Rivera both added two hits and a run scored for the Blues (0-3) who looked poised to complete a comeback on several occasions. For the Bulldogs, Mark Kirkland batted 3-4 with a run scored and an RBI including a homerun in the seventh inning to keep the Blues at bay.

Jake Larson (0-1) had a tough outing in suffering the loss for the Blues (0-3). He was lifted for Collin  Anderson after giving up three runs in the fourth and Whitman trailing 7-1. He went in the books allowing six earned runs on 10 hits in three and two-thirds innings. Anderson worked a solid three and one-third innings allowing only one run on one hit.

Andrew Rueter (0-1) worked six complete for the win, allowing six runs on nine hits with six strikeouts. 

The Bulldogs struck first with three runs in the top of the second inning. Sammy Diaz and Peyton Walsh both drove home a run with Chris Hardin scoring on a passed ball.

Redlands added another one inning later, but the Blues responded by putting their first run on the scoreboard. Rivera tripled to the right centerfield gap to lead off the inning, then Kepa Supnet took first after being hit by a Rueter pitch. Two batters later, Drew Vannaman's base hit scored Rivera to make it a 4-1 game.

Down by six runs after two and one-half innings, Whitman made a game of it after plating three runs of their own in the fourth inning. Conder drove in the inning's first run with his RBI hit, scoring Johnson who had tripled to open Whitman's half of the fourth. Supnet and Vannaman also collected RBI in the inning to shave the Redlands lead to 7-4. 

The Blues nearly came all the way back in the fifth inning. Matthew Sox delivered a two-out double before advancing to third on a Johnson infield hit. Kevin Nakamura promptly cleared the bases with a double and the Blues had shaved the lead to one run. 

Whitman scored in the seventh inning but with Kirkland's homer half an inning earlier, and an Anthony Acosta RBI hit in the eighth, the Blues were never able to come all the way back.

The Blues conclude the Classic Sunday morning against Cal Lutheran at 9:00 a.m. MT (8:00 a.m. PT).