THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. – After jumping to an early lead, the Linfield Wildcats needed extra innings to earn an 8-7 victory over No. 2 Cal Lutheran on Opening Day at Sparky Anderson Field. The three-game set wraps up Saturday with a doubleheader starting at 11 a.m.
 
How it played out
Linfield struck first in the top of the first inning thanks to an RBI single from Ryan Ross to score Brady Rediger from second. Later in the bottom of the frame, the Kingsmen tied the game with a Ryne Yamashiro RBI single. CLU took to a 2-1 lead in the second when Troy Frazier homered but the Wildcats answered in the third inning with three runs of their own to take a 5-2 lead into the fourth. Rediger, Cameron Fox (2) and Alex Hendra-Brown each had RBIs in what was a four-hit inning for the 'Cats.
 
Linfield added to its lead when Joey Cassano scored from third base on a wild pitch in the seventh to make the score 6-2.
 
Cal Lutheran stormed back in the eighth. A throwing error with the bases loaded allowed a Kingsmen runner to score. With no outs and the bases still loaded, Max Weinstien hit into a 6-4-3 double play but earned the RBI as David Stauffer scored from third. The Kingsmen knocked in Tanner Wright to end the inning and trailed 6-5 going into the final frame.
 
Rediger led off the ninth with a single up the middle. He later scored on a Daniel Zavala sacrifice fly to add to the Linfield lead, 7-5. Cheynne Giles started the inning with a base hit through the left side. He later scored on a single from Matt Sciumbato. The 'Cats loaded the bases by walking Wright and forced another 6-4-3 double play, but Frazier scored from third to tie the game at 7.

Jared Evans led off the 10th with a hit to right-center field and advanced to second on a passed ball. Evans moved to third on a fielder's choice off the bat of Jake Gellos. Linfield scored the eventual game-winning run when Rediger plated Evans with two outs, aided by an error by Kingsmen shortstop Trevor Egan. Reliever Dylan Peters closed the door on the Kingsmen in the 10th, striking out Frazier to end the game.
 
Wildcat bats
Ross led the way for Linfield, hitting a team-best 3 for 4 and an RBI. Rediger, Cassano and Hendra-Brown each had two-hit outings. Fox and Rediger both knocked in two RBIs to share the club lead. Zavala added his RBI to the mix on a sacrifice fly in the ninth.
 
Linfield pitching
Cal Neely drew the Opening Day nod. He threw five strong innings, allowing two runs on seven hits and striking out five. In relief, newcomer Liam Herlihy and veteran Peters helped preserve the Linfield win. Herlihy tossed two innings, surrendering three runs on four hits in his Linfield debut. Peters finished the game, throwing three innings, including the 10th. Peters allowed two runs, walked two and struck out two to earn the win.
 
Kingsmen at the plate
Weston Clark contributed a 3-for-5 day at the plate. Daniel Parr failed to record a hit but led the club with two RBIs on a fielder's choice and an error. Giles, Egan and Alec Iniguez each had two-hit performances. Jeff Wilson saw the most trips to the plate for the Kingsmen, going 1-for-6 with an RBI.
 
Cal Lutheran's staff
Nate Wehner was deemed the Kingmen starting arm. He allowed four runs on eight hits and struck out just one over 4.2 innings. Justin Fong got the first call from the bullpen in the middle of the fifth. He tossed 3.1 innings and allowed two runs on three hits with a pair of strikeouts. Christian Slattery threw in the ninth and was repladed in the 10th by Jeff Rebello who finished the inning. Slattery, who pitched 1.2 innings, was credited with the loss.
 
Now you know
For the second consecutive season, the Wildcats opened the year with a win over the Kingsmen. Last spring, Linfield squeezed past the eventual national champions, 2-1, at the Arizona Desert Classic in Tucson, Arizona.
 
Stan Manley earns his first career win in his debut as Wildcats head coach. Ad Rutschman (1971), Scott Carnahan (1984) and Scott Brosius (2008) all won in their head coaching debuts.
 
Since 1950, a Linfield College alum has coached the Wildcats baseball team, a string of 59 seasons.
 
Next
The 'Cats and Kingsmen close out the three-game series with a doubleheader Saturday at 11 a.m. at Sparky Anderson Field.