By Emma Del Sol
Back-to-back first inning home runs from Jaylin Davis and Dillon Dobson and a solid pitching performance from Andrew Lantrip and Brandon Quintero were key components in the Foresters 4-1 win over arch rival San Luis Obispo Blues. This was the first meeting between these two teams of the season.
Andrew Lantrip, a rising sophomore at the University of Houston, had his first start of the season today against the Blues, striking out the second and third batters he faced in the first inning.
The Foresters started the game off with a big bang. L Grant Davis reached first in the first inning on an infield single and was brought home by Jaylin Davis’s first pitch home-run 410 feet out to right center. On the next pitch, Dillon Dobson smoked another home run to right-center.
Lantrip got out of a two out jam with runners on second and first by having RJ Hassay popping out.
In the top of the third inning Cody Walker had a nice pick-off on Joel Atkinson who was attempting to steal second.
Colt Atwood reached first on a broken bat single to the pitcher in the bottom of the third. Atwood then stole second in attempted pick-off by pitcher Justin Kelly.
L Davis helped Lantrip out of another two men-on jam by tagging out the base runner, Taylor Anderson, and then throwing to first for a double play.
Granger Studdard reached first after being hit by a pitch in the bottom of the fourth. Jeremy Montalbano then had an eight pitch at-bat before walking. Cody Walker then hit into a double play ending the inning.
In the bottom of the fifth inning, Jake Vickerson led off by being hit by a pitch. Atwood had a solid sacrifice bunt to the pitcher to advance Vickerson to second. However, Jaylin Davis grounded out and the Foresters ended the inning without scoring. At the end of five- Foresters 3, Blues 0.
In the bottom of the sixth, Studdard reached first on a hard hit single to the gap between third and short. Brett Boswell then hit a soft-hit line drive to left field. However, the Foresters failed to score in the bottom of the sixth.
Jon Williamson came in in the top of the seventh as a relief pitcher after Lantrip pitched six solid innings, giving up no runs and four hits while striking out seven.
In the top of the eighth inning Bill Pintard relied on three pitchers to get out of a two-men on jam; Williamson, Cody Van Aken, and Brandon Quintero. Williamson walked the first two batters and Van Aken allowed RJ Hassay to reach home on a single. However, Quintero was able to get Jacob Hoyle to pop out on the first pitch to left. The Blues did get one run, while leaving two men on base.
In the bottom of the eighth inning J Davis had a hard hit single right over the shortstop’s head. D Dobson then doubled to deep center over the head of the centerfielder, scoring J Davis, giving the Foresters some extra breathing room going into the top of the ninth.
Quintero was able to retire the side in the bottom of the ninth.
In an interview with manager Bill Pintard, Pintard noted Lantrip’s success in his first start of the season with the Foresters. Lantrip gave up no runs, three hits, and struck out seven. Pintard also mentioned the spectacular offensive performance from Appalachian State boys D Dobson and J Davis, each with two RBI’s. After todays game the Foresters improve their record to 12-3 on the season.
