By Matt Mitchell
The Santa Barbara Foresters picked up their first win of the season Wednesday night at MLB Urban Youth Academy Park in Compton, California. The Foresters defeated the Academy Barons 10-5 behind solid pitching and an effective offense.
A pitcher’s duel broke out early, as Foresters starting pitcher Kyle Wade and Academy Barons starting pitcher Solomon Bates each tossed three scoreless innings. The Foresters finally were able to get on the scoreboard in the fourth, as right fielder Ashton Easley drove in Chandler Bengston with an RBI triple, with Matt Whitney driving in Easley soon after to make it 2-0.
Santa Barbara’s big inning came in the sixth when the Foresters scored six runs thanks to an error and some erratic pitching by Barons reliever Tyshaun Chapman. The Foresters took an 8-3 lead and never looked back.
Each time the Barons would threaten to chip away at the Foresters lead, Santa Barbara answered right back, putting two more runs on the board in the top of the eight after the Barons added two runs of their own in the bottom of the seventh inning.
The victory improved the Foresters record to 1-1 for the season and dropped the Academy Barons to 1-3. Santa Barbara will travel on the road again Thursday to take on the Orange Country Riptide in the first of a two-game home-and-home series, with the Foresters opening their new ballpark Friday.
