After 11 innings of baseball and a 3-3 tie, the Santa Barbara Foresters finished their non-league schedule no different than they came in as the game against the Pacific Union Capitalists was called due to darkness.
The tie could have been a loss if not for Forester first baseman Jacob Felts. Trailing in the bottom of the eighth, Felts tripled to dead center to bring the Foresters even with the Pacific Union Capitalists, tying the game at three and eventually sending the game to extra innings.
Wrapping up the season’s non conference schedule against the Capitalists, the Foresters struggled early on to put together offense. The Capitalists, an 18 and under team from Walnut Creek, Calif., matched the Foresters pitch for pitch in the early going, holding Santa Barbara hitless for four and a third innings.
Through six innings, the Foresters only brought home one run and managed one hit. In the second inning, designated hitter Austin Darby walked and moved all the way to third on an error by Caps pitcher Chris Viall. Darby scored thanks to Shane Hoelscher’s groundout.
The lone Forester hit came in the bottom of the fifth, a single to the hole between short and third by center fielder Joey Swanner.
Down 3-1 in the eighth, the Foresters strung together some baserunners. Steven Reveles singled and stole second before Colt Atwood walked with no outs. Both Reveles and Atwood moved another 90 feet up on a double steal before Felts drilled the triple to dead center over center field Jack Ross’ head to tie the game at three.
Viall, who is headed to Stanford in the fall, left trailing 1-0 after he threw four no-hit innings. He was replaced by Daulton Jeffries, who will attend Viall’s rival Cal Berkeley next season. Jeffries proceeded to throw three innings of one-hit ball to hold the Foresters to one run.
Santa Barbara finally threatened to score in the seventh against Jeffries, but with one out the Foresters left both men stranded. Louie Lechich popped out after hitting for Hunter Kopycincki and Swanner grounded out to end the threat.
Ty Culbreth struggled early, running full counts to three of the first four batters, but settled down to throw six innings. He only struck out two, but only allowed two hits and two walks.
Pacific Union failed to score through the first six innings, but took advantage of Justin Rahn’s first pitching appearance of the summer for the Foresters. Despite striking out two, Rahn could not work his way out of the seventh. He allowed a two singles and hit two men, winding up with three runs credited to him.
Willie Kuhl came in to relieve Rahn, but walked the first man he faced with the bases loaded and the score moved to 3-1 with the Foresters trailing.
More pitching struggles plagued the eighth inning, after Andrew Vasquez only managed to retire one of the four men he faced. Patrick Weigel entered with the bases loaded, but forced a double play on just one pitch to escape the inning unscathed.
Along with Weigel, Hunter Lemke and Tejay Antone pitched consecutive appearances after pitching against the Bakersfield Sound Friday night. Lemke and Antone combined to pitch the final three innings scoreless.
