By Jalen Kang
The red-hot Conejo Oaks entered Friday’s contest on a 9-game winning streak, but the Foresters rode into enemy territory and left Sparky Anderson Field with a W. Fueled by great pitching and 8 runs in the final 2 innings, the ’Sters cooled down the Oaks with a decisive 12-4 victory.
Starter Cody Howard kept the Oaks (13-6 CCL) off the scoreboard for 4 innings while the offense banked 3 runs for a 3-0 ’Sters (15-7, 13-7 CCL) lead at the halfway mark of the contest. But the Oaks bats made it a new ballgame in the bottom of the fifth, tying it up at 3-3 after a trio of bases-loaded free passes from Howard.
It was all ’Sters after that.
In the seventh, Jonny Rodriguez got the lead back with an RBI single to score Jack Holman from second base to make it 4-3.
The ’Sters pulled away in the final two frames, scoring two runs in the eighth and six in the ninth to leave no doubt in tonight’s Friday-night bout. In the last two innings, Kaden Peterson and Jonah Sebring scored twice while tallying RBIs, with Rodriguez, Ryan Tayman, and Drew Markle also finding their way home amidst the crooked number.
Diego Ramos (W) entered the ballgame when it was still tied in the sixth inning and pitched two scoreless innings to set the tone for the ’Sters, while Reid Hensely took care of the final six outs.
The ’Sters and Oaks will face each other in a rematch at Eddie Mathews Field tomorrow with the top spot in the CCL South on the line. Come see the ’Sters at home on Saturday, July 6th at 4:30 p.m. or follow our broadcast on on our YouTube channel, https://www.youtube.com/@SantaBarbaraForesters19.
