In a vintage ‘Sters performance, Santa Barbara crushed Neptune Beach pitching for fifteen runs on fifteen hits to set a pace that the Pearl simply couldn’t match, in a 15-9 win on Sunday.
The Foresters team that headed to the plate on Sunday once again looked like the team that won eight straight a couple weeks ago. The first tip off was when the Foresters responded with a run in the bottom of the first to tie the game at 1-1 after one inning. On the season, Santa Barbara boasts a 10-2 record in games that they scored one or more runs in the first. In their last five, they didn’t score a single run in the first and also didn’t win.
The fact that the Foresters continued to hit the ball well beyond the first inning couldn’t have hurt in this one. By the end of five, the ‘Sters had put up all fifteen of their runs. The heavy lifters were Hunter Williams, who was 3 for 3, and Steven Coe, who was 2 for 3, and Lex Kaplan, who drove in a game-high four runs. Evan Cassalotto and Hank LoForte also drove in a pair each. However, it truly was a team effort, with nine Foresters notching at least one hit on the day.
Santa Barbara received a strong effort from starter Miles Sandum and relievers Austin Blessing and Lucas Jacobsen. Jacobsen in particular closed the door at the end, allowing no runs in the eighth and ninth innings.
With new life in their bats and a step in the right direction, the ‘Sters hope to make their showing of America’s past time on Independence Day, must-see baseball—for Foresters fans! They take on the Conejo Oaks on the 4th of July at 5:05 pm at Caesar Uyesaka Stadium.—Matthew Selman
