Wrapping up a three-game game series in Whittier against the SoCal Catch, the Santa Barbara Foresters managed a split in Sunday’s doubleheader after the offense broke out in game two.
The offense bounced back from a poor showing in a 3-1 loss to start off the day before blowing out the Catch with a 19-4 win to take the series.
In the third, the teams traded runs to move the score to 1-1. Austin Darby led off the inning with a double and would come around to score on a double play. For the Catch, a leadoff walk came home to score after a pair of bunts and a sacrifice fly.
Santa Barbara’s bats finally came alive in the fourth as the Foresters rallied for five runs in the inning. Tyler Krieger continued the early success he has had in his Forester career with his second solo home run of the series.
Jerry McClanahan followed up with a single and moved to second on Ryan O’Hearn’s single with one out. Darby connected with a two out single to score McClanahan before Louie Lechich jacked a 3-run home run to dead center field.
Two more came across in the fifth for the Foresters. After Colt Atwood singled and Tyler Krieger walked, the duo moved up on a successful double steal. O’Hearn’s two out single drove both men in to extend the lead to 8-3.
The offense kept coming in the sixth as eight straight men reached base to score seven more in the inning. With 20 total hits, many Foresters had impressive games individually.
Lechich lead ted the way for the Foresters, going 6-for-6 with three RBIs and three runs scored and a triple shy of the cycle. O’Hearn finished 3-for-5 with four RBIs and two runs scored and Krieger added 3-for-6 with a walk, three runs scored and four RBIs. Darby went 2-for-4 with two walks, two RBIs and three runs scored.
Andrew Godaill started the second game, going five innings to earn the victory. Thanks to the Foresters’ offensive output, Godaill’s four runs allowed and four walks did not hurt him.
In the first game, scheduled for seven innings, Keaton Siomkin took the mound for the Foresters, pitching five innings and striking out eight. However, three runs came home against him, two earned.
The Foresters struck early, scoring thanks to Tyler Krieger moving around the bases all on his own. After walking with two outs, Kriger stole second and moved to third on the error by Catch catcher Tyler Harris. One pitch later, Krieger scored on a wild pitch by Catch pitcher Scott Weathersby.
Unfortunately, the run would be the only for the Foresters in game. The Foresters would strand nine men on base, including two in the second, fourth, sixth and the final inning. The Foresters had the bases loaded with one out in the seventh, but Ryan O’Hearn grounded into a game-ending double play.
SoCal scored two in the second thanks to a Jonathan Munoz double with the bases loaded and no outs. They would add an insurance run in the fifth.
